Patients, staff, and local people are set to benefit from a £24m project that includes a new Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) and a primary care hub in the Enhanced Services Centre (ESC), on the Bedford Health Village site.
The new CDC
Building works have begun on the project that includes a community diagnostic centre (CDC) at Gilbert Hitchcock House, on the Bedford Hospital North Wing site.
The new CDC will transform Gilbert Hitchcock House into a one-stop shop for diagnostic tests, checks, and scans.
The new CDC aims to ensure that patients who need diagnostic tests will be seen sooner and in a vastly improved environment.
It will significantly increase testing capacity in Bedford by around 50%, making it quicker and easier for patients to access potentially life-saving tests for a wide range of conditions, including cancer, heart and lung disease.
The building will house therapy services, phlebotomy, and a wide range of diagnostic services
The building will house therapy services, phlebotomy, and a wide range of diagnostic services including MRI, CT, ultrasound, x-ray, and physiological measurement tests (such as ECGs for heart conditions), amongst others.
Patients will be able to access these vital tests in a more convenient location, without the need to attend busy hospital sites.
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust anticipates the CDC will be completed in early 2026.
David Carter, Chief Executive of Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “We welcome this major investment at Bedfordshire Hospitals which will bring crucial tests closer to home and help us improve outcomes for patients with serious conditions, by diagnosing health conditions earlier, faster, and more accurately.”
The Enhanced Services Centre
Construction work on the same health site in North Bedford will also see the development of primary care facilities in the Enhanced Services Centre (ESC).
This is part of a £4m investment which will see the co-location of several De Parys GP practices and several community services.
The new CDC will transform Gilbert Hitchcock House into a one-stop shop for diagnostic tests, checks, and scans
This will support patients in benefitting from improved access to high-quality primary care services. Building work for this part of the project commenced on 19 February and is due for completion towards the end of 2024.
Felicity Cox, Chief Executive of Bedfordshire, Luton, and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board said: “We are committed to providing quality healthcare facilities and improving access to services. The development of the Bedford health village site demonstrates how partnership working across the wider health and care system delivers significant benefits for our residents.”