WESTON residents are set to benefit from a new Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) in 2024.

Opening in April, the new CDC will be run by InHealth in partnership with University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW).

The centre will be based at the For All Healthy Living Centre and will be used to diagnose a range of conditions, including cancer, heart and lung disease.

The CDC will be constructed alongside mobile units providing CT (Computed tomography) and MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging) scanning at the health centre.

During 2024, it is hoped that more of its kind will be built throughout the South West. Whilst the building work is being carried out, mobile units across the country will be set up.

Paula Clarke, executive managing director (Weston General Hospital) at UHBW, said: “We’re very pleased the Weston-super-Mare CDC is on track to open in April and look forward to working with our partners to offer faster diagnosis and treatment to the local community. 

“Local access to these tests is vital to support improvements in health outcomes and help reduce health inequalities.”  

Geoff Searle, InHealth chief executive, added: “This is an exciting milestone in the South West CDC programme and we’re delighted to be working in partnership with UHBW to create the new centre.  

“Expanding this model of healthcare in the South West region will bring real benefits to patients in the local area and continue to improve health outcomes through increased range, scale and accessibility of services for the local population, so we are very pleased to get started.” 

Dr Joanne Medhurst, chief medical officer at NHS BNSSG ICB, concluded: “Reducing waiting times for diagnosis and treatment is a key priority for us. We’re looking forward to having this new diagnostic facility in place which will enable thousands of people across the area to be seen, diagnosed and treated sooner.” 

The centre is also part of a programme to help the recovery of services which were overwhelmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The government has committed a £2.3billion national investment to open up to 160 CDCs by 2025. This will provide around 9 million additional tests a year for people across the country.