Work has officially begun on our new modular Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) site at Barking Community Hospital (BCH) after planning permission was approved to build the centre.

Over the past 12 months, the Barking site has been boosted with additional scanners and x-ray machines which has already played a big part in helping us reduce waiting lists and treat residents faster.

Having the green light to proceed with the CDC is a further boost for the borough and our local communities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The CDC will house scanning equipment such as MRI, CT, and ultrasound alongside consultation rooms for a range of other tests for those living across North East London. X-ray, ophthalmology, and additional ultrasound facilities will be housed in the current BCH, which will stay open during the construction period. It will also have suitable waiting, changing and other public facilities, such as hearing induction loops, and landscaped outside space.

For our local communities, it means quicker, more convenient and a more personal service away from acute hospital sites.

Work is underway!

Work on the build of the CDC is nearing an exciting milestone with patient feedback and recommendations being at the core of the design.

Colleagues got a first look at the open and spacious facility that is being built off-site at a factory in Gloucester.

Big floor to ceiling windows, colours used to improve the experience for patients with dementia and ramps, lifts and accessible changing rooms throughout are just some of the aspects included that were put forward by patients when gathering feedback.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once 90% of the build is completed off-site, the facility will then be transported to our hospital later this year ahead of the planned opening in early 2024.

CDCs are a national programme set up to ensure patients have access to planned diagnostic care nearer to home without the need to attend acute hospital sites.

The site was chosen at BCH to help us meet growing demand in the area and reduce health inequalities. The area is expected to see a significant increase in population over the next 20 to 30 years and the change in demographics in the borough will contribute to a 21% rise in the demand for services.

‘I’m really excited by what I’ve seen and heard’

We’re delighted that NHS Providers have published a case study on the work we’ve been doing around our Community Diagnostics Centre (CDC) at Barking Community Hospital (BCH).

Professor Sir Mike Richards visited our Trust on Monday 19 June 2023 to find out more about our work to improve diagnostic services and reduce waiting times.

Following a long career as a consultant oncologist, Sir Mike has also been the National Cancer Director and Chief Inspector of Hospitals. It was his report into diagnostic services in 2020 which recommended the introduction of clinical diagnostic centres (CDC), where facilities are based in locations away from main hospital sites.

Sir Mike was shown around and heard more about the next phase of work which will see us construct a new building to house scanning equipment and ultrasound, alongside consultation rooms for a range of other tests.

Building a centre that’s right for you

It was important that residents had their say to help us design and build a centre that is right for them. Read our report to find out what people told us, from how we can make the environment relaxing to preferred appointment times.

We also engaged with residents who live closest to Barking Community Hospital, to find out their thoughts on the proposed design of the CDC.

We captured their feedback by running a survey and holding public and virtual drop-in sessions. Read the findings of this work in our second engagement report.

We look forward to sharing further updates as the work progresses. In the meantime, please send an email if you have any queries about CDCs.