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 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.
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 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.
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.
Both facilities will be run by United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT).
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.
Skegness and Lincoln’s CDCs are expected to open to patients in autumn 2024.