£20m funding secured for new Scunthorpe Community Diagnostic Centre

A new £19.4million community diagnostic centre could be arriving in Scunthorpe as part of a government project to reduce hospital waiting times.

The centre is due to begin offering some services to the public this winter, and it will act as a one-stop-shop for health checks and scans.

It is hoped this will reduce the need for coming into hospital, and thus reduce waiting times as a result.

Patients will be referred to this new centre by their GP or consultant, as it operates in line with the current diagnostics department at Scunthorpe General Hospital.

It means an estimated additional 146,000 checks can be made each year, freeing up clinician times and saving patients from spending excess time in treatment or waiting rooms.

Chief Executive of Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust, Peter Reading, said: “Our priority will always be to provide our patients with excellent standards of care – and we believe that moving some of our diagnostic services out into the community will allow us to do that.

“I’m delighted to say that we have been successful in bidding for £19.4 million from the national funding Community Diagnostic Centre programme to fund the scheme and have submitted a planning application to create a bespoke hub, off Lindum Street – right in the heart of Scunthorpe town centre.

“Our plans are at a very early stage but, should our planning application be successful, we will work with our partners in Primary Care, Community healthcare and North Lincolnshire Council to build the new facility, where we will be able to offer patients tests for a range of conditions, such as cancer, heart and lung disease – including X-Rays, MRI, ultrasound, and CT scans.”

It is hoped that some services will be open to the public this winter. | Photo: NLaG

The funding has been announced by Health Secretary Steve Barclay, who also revealed funding approvals for five more community diagnostic hubs across the country.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “I have pledged to cut waiting lists and these new Community Diagnostic Centres will do exactly that.

“By offering checks, tests and scans closer to home, we can speed up the diagnosis of illnesses like cancer and heart disease and ensure patients get their treatment quickly.

“These centres revolutionise the way the NHS delivers care and crucially, they are saving lives.”

Leader of North Lincolnshire Council, Councillor Rob Waltham, added: “This is great news for North Lincolnshire residents and another positive note for the High Street with more Government cash backing the plans to build a new future.

“This new health centre will have a massive impact on residents’ access to critical health services, further improving health and wellbeing for thousands of people.

“It is also further good news for the town centre in Scunthorpe – a major investment, backed by government, which will drive more people into the town centre for more reasons.”

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