A new state-of-the-art Community Diagnostics Centre (CDC), which will act as a "one-stop shop" for thousands of patients needing tests and diagnosis, has started welcoming its first patients at St Albans City Hospital.
The new facilities form part of a major £100m investment in St Albans City Hospital, which will also include new operating theatres, endoscopy and urology units.
The CDC has been designed to provide patients with quicker, more convenient access to a wide range of diagnostic services, including ultrasound, MRI and CT scans.
It will help reduce waiting times while easing pressure on busy acute hospital sites, with around 15,000 additional MRI and CT scans made available each year.
MRI scans will be available 7 days a week, 12 hours a day, along with ultrasounds. CT scans will operate five days a week.
CT and MRI scans are important diagnostic tests that allow doctors to see detailed images inside the body.
They help diagnose a wide range of conditions, from injuries and infections to cancer and heart disease, enabling patients to receive the right treatment as quickly as possible.
Increasing access to these scans closer to home means faster diagnosis, shorter waits and a better experience for patients.
Stephen Alexander, 73, was the first patient to get an MRI scan at the new centre for an issue with his hips.
“The new CDC seemed to be good. The facilities for changing were simple and it was right next to the actual unit, so it was all very efficient. The staff were good and I was in and out pretty quickly.
“I liked the ceiling. They said you’ve got a ceiling, and you can look up and see blossoms on the ceiling. St Albans (Hospital) has always been very efficient and very friendly.”
Patients will be referred to the CDC by their GP, or hospital team when appropriate, helping people to get tested quickly. Using St Albans as a hub for diagnostics and planned surgery also helps acute hospitals focus on emergency and specialist care.
In July, West Herts will be opening four new operating theatres at St Albans City Hospital for planned operations, providing an outstanding clinical environment for patients and staff.
Development of a new state-of-the-art endoscopy unit is also underway and will include a four-room endoscopy suite with dedicated clinical support and administrative spaces. It is expected to be completed next year.
Catherine Dugmore, Chair of West Herts, who officially opened the building, said: “This magnificent new facility will ensure thousands of local people get faster diagnosis, and access to a wide range of services, including ultrasound, MRI and CT scans, closer to home.
“It could in some cases make a life changing difference to people.
“Together with our new operating theatres and future endoscopy unit, this investment is helping transform St Albans City Hospital into a centre of excellence for diagnostics and planned care.”
Minister of State for Health (Secondary Care), Karin Smyth said: “This government has got the NHS on the road to recovery, with waiting lists falling to their lowest level in three years and a record 29 million diagnostic tests and scans carried out last year, but there's still a lot more to do.
“The NHS should fit around people’s lives, not the other way around. This brand-new, state-of-the-art centre for St Albans is going to offer convenient tests, checks and scans – without a trip to hospital.
“Community Diagnostic Centres like this one are a vital part of how we’re rebuilding the NHS and getting people seen on time again. More of these will soon be opening across the country through our £237 million investment in new, expanded and enhanced centres just like this.”