Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust is advancing its plans for a new Community Diagnostics Centre (CDC) in Redhill.
The move is part of a wider strategy to reduce waiting times for vital NHS tests and checks across the region.
Working in partnership with Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Board (ICB), the Trust will develop the new facility within Redhill’s Belfry Shopping Centre.
The centre is expected to open this summer and will increase local access to diagnostic testing for tens of thousands of NHS patients.
The project builds on the Trust’s successful community diagnostics services, first launched at Crawley Hospital in April 2023.
The centre is expected to open this summer
While construction on some areas of Crawley CDC is ongoing, the facility’s temporary services have already delivered more than 169,000 tests and checks since their expansion just over two years ago.
The Trust anticipates delivering a further 171,500 tests at Crawley before the end of March 2026.
The Redhill centre will contribute to the national rollout of over 170 CDCs across England, funded by NHS England.
These centres aim to transform how and where diagnostic services are delivered, bringing them closer to communities and alleviating pressure on acute hospital sites.
The Redhill centre will contribute to the national rollout of over 170 CDCs across England, funded by NHS England
The new CDC in Redhill is expected to carry out almost 40,000 tests and checks in its first year of operation.
Over the next five years, this could mean approximately 200,000 fewer patient journeys to East Surrey Hospital for services including CT scans, X-rays, ECGs, ultrasounds, and blood and respiratory tests.
This also supports the Trust’s commitment to greener NHS initiatives by reducing travel-related carbon emissions.
Once fully operational, the CDC will offer a 12-hour service, seven days a week.
The new CDC in Redhill is expected to carry out almost 40,000 tests
Patients referred to the new CDC will benefit from faster and smoother care pathways, with direct GP access to request tests and integrated facilities enabling a wider range of services to be delivered in a single ‘one stop shop’ setting.
Angela Stevenson, Chief Executive of Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust said: “This new CDC in the Belfry Shopping Centre in Redhill is a really exciting new addition to our local healthcare offer. It responds to the rising demand for diagnostic testing in our communities and will help reduce waiting times for tens of thousands of local patients every year.
“Quicker and more efficient tests and checks also mean we can start treatment for the most serious illnesses, such as cancer sooner, ensuring more of our patients benefit from earlier diagnosis and better outcomes. Diagnosing patients earlier in the healthcare pathway will also help reduce demand for local emergency care in the long-term.
“We aren’t doing this alone, and I want to thank Surrey Heartlands ICB and the Belfry Shopping Centre for working with us on making these plans a reality for our local community.”
Top image: Redhill CDC construction