A ceremony was held at the existing site of the Hinckley and District Community Hospital to mark the start of construction work to build a £24.6 million community diagnostic centre (CDC).
The centre is one of only 40 to be awarded nationally by NHS funding in England.
When it opens in early 2025, it will provide CT and MRI scans, endoscopy, X-ray, and ultrasound facilities.
Helen Hendley, director of planned care for the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board (LLR ICB) described the start of work as ‘an exciting milestone’.
‘We have engaged with local people on our plans over several years, and I am delighted to see our shared vision to transform community health services in Hinckley, moving a step closer to becoming a reality,’ she said.
Partners in the project include University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and NHS Property Services. The ICB has commissioned Darwin Group Ltd as the contractor for the build.
Andrew Strange, estate strategy lead for the South at NHS Property Services said the new CDC would make a difference.
‘This superb new facility replaces a smaller, outdated building and will enable people to access diagnostic tests much closer to their homes, in a community setting,’ he said.
The University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust has commenced recruiting staff to provide services in the CDC when it opens.
The CDC forms part of a wider programme of work which aims to improve community health services in Hinckley. The ICB is also currently working on plans for a new day unit, which would be co-located at the district hospital site.
