Construction work is underway for two new NHS community diagnostic centres (CDCs) in Lincolnshire as part of a £38million investment in services.
The centres in Skegness and Lincoln will offer a variety of diagnostic services, including X-ray, MRI, CT and non-obstetric ultrasound, for convenient, timely care away from busy hospital sites.
Both builds represent a significant development in local NHS services, with the centre in Skegness believed to be the largest single NHS investment in the town in many years.
The Skegness CDC will be located on Old Wainfleet Road, while the Lincoln CDC will be on the Lincoln Science and Innovation Park, off Tritton Road. Both facilities will be run by United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT).
Julie Frake-Harris, Chief Operating Officer at ULHT, said: “The start of groundworks on the Skegness and Lincoln sites is a significant and exciting step forward in the delivery of this programme for our patients.
“Working in collaboration with NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board, we have involved patients and clinical teams at every stage of development to ensure we are creating an environment that is welcoming, modern and fit for purpose for the broad range of patient groups who will be able to use it.
“The convenience of these facilities is supported by free on-site parking, and having diagnostic testing in the community not only helps to reduce waiting times, it also frees up capacity in our busy hospitals to support those in need of emergency care.”
In Skegness, the CDC will have diagnostic facilities not previously available in the area, including CT, MRI, echocardiograms and dental x-rays. Plans also include a chemotherapy service to reduce the amount of travel necessary for cancer patients.
A temporary mobile MRI scanner has already been placed on the east coast in Mablethorpe, at Marisco Medical Practice, to provide additional appointments while the Skegness build is completed.
In Lincoln, the CDC will have dedicated training facilities to support the training of future radiographers, with ULHT becoming one of the first NHS Trusts in the country to link directly with a school of radiography at the University of Lincoln.
Temporary MRI and CT scanners are also already in place on the Lincoln Science and Innovation Park while building work is completed.
The contract to build both CDCs has been awarded to MTX, a modern methods of construction specialist.
Additional funding of £38m has been provided by the Department of Health and Social Care to make the development possible.
These new CDCs follow the success of the Grantham CDC, which was the first to open in Lincolnshire in April 2022 and has recently had a £5m expansion to open CT and MRI facilities.
To date, Lincolnshire’s CDC programme has supported the delivery of more than 80,000 diagnostic tests.
Clair Raybould, Executive Director for System Delivery, NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board, said: “The CDC programme is offering opportunity to explore how health and care organisations can develop and deliver services differently to address some of the unique challenges faced within our local communities, from a population and geographical perspective.
“As well as offering vital diagnostic testing, Lincolnshire’s CDCs have been designed to allow clinical space for other services, enabling the facility to develop further as a community hub.
“These partnerships are already helping to facilitate the provision of temporary services during construction works, the introduction of new services such as physiological testing, and the growth of future workforce development.”
Skegness and Lincoln’s CDCs are expected to open to patients in autumn 2024.
Main image shows: The architect impression of Lincoln Community Diagnostic Centre
Images courtesy of United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust
