A Nottinghamshire town will be the home of a new health centre which aims to provide people with quicker access to procedures such as MRI scans and blood tests. The Government has approved funding for four new community diagnostic centres (CDCs) in the Midlands, one of which will be based in Mansfield.
The centres first started operating in July 2021 as part of efforts to slash NHS waiting times which built up over the course of the coronavirus pandemic. Since the programme started, the Government said that 600,000 tests, checks and scans have been delivered in the Midlands.
Across the country, funding for 19 more of the centres has been approved and a planning application for the Mansfield site has already been submitted. The Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust has applied for the centre to be built at the Mansfield Community Hospital on Stockwell Gate, with the application due to be discussed at a Mansfield District Council meeting on February 13.
Read more: Concern for 'nightmare' road in town with 'awful' speeding
Speaking about the new centres, health minister Will Quince said: "Community diagnostic centres are one stop shops for tests, scans and checks and are a vital step in getting an accurate and early diagnosis so patients can access the treatment they need. We know early diagnosis and treatment leads to better outcomes for patients.
"Making it as easy as possible for people to access these services by placing them in the heart of communities will not only help services recover from the impact of the pandemic, but will make it easier for people to access testing and treatment in the long term." Mr Quince said that the four new Midlands centres will be able to deliver around 260,000 tests a year once fully operational.
The other Midlands centres backed by the Government in its announcement on Monday (February 13) are set to be based in Corby, Northampton and Telford. MRI scans, CT scans and blood tests are among the functions that can be carried out at a CDC.
Patients there can also access cardiology, ultrasound scans, X-rays and respiratory checks. David Ainsworth, director of strategy and partnerships for the Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust, previously said: "Our NHS staff are already providing the latest advancements in diagnostic treatment and care. If approved, these plans will boost those efforts and ensure that patients can access the life saving tests, checks and treatment they need even more quickly.
"While there is still some way to go before those plans are finalised, that would be great news for patients across Nottinghamshire – and for the hundreds of people who we hope to recruit into the medical, nursing and support roles we will need to run this exciting new facility."
READ NEXT:
- Nottinghamshire Police officer told to remove badge as public complaint sparks investigation
- The hidden history behind the Georgian building that has been vacant for 35 years
- See inside Nottinghamshire's newest farm shop
- The Nottingham club with a ‘buzzing’ atmosphere determined to beat the cost of living crisis
- Idea that £20 million would fix Nottinghamshire roads is 'for the birds', says leader
