£9M Centre Launched in Bradford to Diagnose Life-threatening Conditions
A new Community Diagnostic Centre in Eccleshill has been officially opened to provide a range of health checks, scans and tests. How will this help to diagnose life-threatening conditions more quickly?
According to the Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership, in December 2023 over 13,000 people living in the Bradford District and Craven were waiting for diagnostic tests. A total of 27 per cent were waiting six weeks or more.
The centre will be equipped with the latest technology
The new diagnostic centre will help to reduce waiting times, meet the high demand for diagnostic testing, and improve access to treatment.
It will be the first of its kind in West Yorkshire that will provide approximately 80,000 additional diagnostic appointments every year, diagnosing conditions such as cancer and heart diseases more quickly.
To do this, it is equipped with the latest technology such as MRI, X-ray, and CT scans to enable a range of tests to be carried out.
Across Bradford District and Craven, the difference in life expectancy between the most and least deprived areas is up to 10 years, with many premature deaths of heart disease and cancer in some deprived areas noticeably higher.
The ambition is to improve clinical outcomes and save people’s lives
Located in Eccleshill, the community diagnostic centre is open seven days a week and provides easier access to care for many by being closer to home and away from busy hospitals.
Professor Mel Pickup, Chief Executive at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and lead for Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership, explained that this new centre will be fundamental in saving people’s lives.
The Professor said: “We are thrilled to introduce this community diagnostic centre to Bradford. The centre provides easier and quicker access to tests as well as reducing outpatient referrals and attendances at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust and Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
“It is so important that additional capacity is made available, especially to support our ambition to diagnose cancers faster, improve clinical outcomes and help save lives.”
Continuing, Professor Mel Pickup added: “We are redesigning the way we deliver care and support to local people in Bradford District and Craven, ensuring that more people will receive exceptional care in community settings now and into the future, keeping people healthy and out of hospital.”
The centre will act as a one-stop-shop for patients
Building started on the £9 million centre in June 2023 and was completed in just seven months, opening its doors to patients in January.
The centre will help to meet NHS England’s elective recovery target to increase testing capacity to nine million diagnostic tests by 2025.
Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Healthy People and Places Portfolio lead at Bradford Council, highlighted: “The opening of Eccleshill Community Diagnostic Centre is a testament to our commitment to improving health and care services for the people of Bradford District and wider.
“It will provide fair and equitable care delivery across the region, acting as a convenient one-stop-shop that allows patients to receive all diagnostic tests in one visit and help cut hospital waiting lists.”
The diagnostic centre is located next to Ashcroft Surgery, Kamsons Pharmacy, Eccleshill Community Hospital and shares a building with Westcliffe Health Innovations who deliver diagnostic services in areas such as gastroenterology and gynaecology.
