A pioneering £15m Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) has opened in Chelmsley Wood Shopping Centre.
The new North Solihull CDC, the first of its kind in a Midlands retail setting, was formally opened in May by the Government Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock.
The centre will provide vital diagnostic services, including X-rays, CT and MRI scans, ultrasound, endoscopy, and other health screenings, in a community-based location away from traditional hospital sites.
The aim is to reduce NHS waiting lists and improve access to healthcare for residents across Birmingham and Solihull.
The new North Solihull CDC, the first of its kind in a Midlands retail setting, was formally opened in May
The development forms part of a national programme, led by NHS England, to increase diagnostic capacity, support earlier disease detection, and improve health outcomes by bringing care closer to patients’ homes.
The new facility has been delivered through a partnership between NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, and InHealth, an independent specialist provider of diagnostic services.
The North Solihull CDC is the second such centre to open in Birmingham and Solihull, following the launch of a CDC at Washwood Heath Health & Wellbeing Centre in June 2023.
It forms part of the national Elective Recovery Plan’s efforts to expand diagnostic provision, reduce hospital pressures, and offer faster, more convenient services to local communities.
The North Solihull CDC is the second such centre to open in Birmingham and Solihull
David Melbourne, Chief Executive of NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board, said: "The opening of our new Community Diagnostic Centre — the first of its kind in a shopping centre in the Midlands — marks a major step forward in bringing healthcare closer to where people live and work. By making essential tests and scans more accessible, we’re not only easing pressure on our busy hospitals but also helping patients to get the diagnosis and treatment that they need more quickly."
Geoff Searle, Chief Executive of InHealth, added: "We’re incredibly pleased to have worked with our NHS partners in the Midlands to create this new centre, which signifies another step forward in providing additional capacity, improving health outcomes and increasing the range, scale and accessibility of services for the local population."
Top image: Government Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock, touring the new CDC during the opening ceremony