A cutting-edge Community Diagnostic Centre in Eccleshill has been officially inaugurated, promising a suite of health checks, scans, and tests to the residents of Bradford District and Craven.
As of December 2023, a staggering 13,000 individuals in the Bradford District and Craven areas were awaiting diagnostic tests, with 27 percent of them enduring a six-week or longer wait.
This state-of-the-art facility is poised to alleviate the strain on waiting times, address the soaring demand for diagnostic testing, and enhance access to crucial medical interventions.
Distinguished as the inaugural establishment of its kind in West Yorkshire, the centre is anticipated to furnish an additional 80,000 diagnostic appointments annually. This initiative aims to expedite the diagnosis of critical conditions such as cancer and heart disease.
Equipped with cutting-edge technology, including MRI, X-Ray, and CT scans, the centre is primed to conduct a diverse range of tests with precision and efficiency.
In Bradford District and Craven, where the life expectancy gap between affluent and deprived areas is as wide as 10 years, the new centre aims to tackle the noticeable surge in premature deaths due to heart disease and cancer in economically disadvantaged regions.
Strategically located in Eccleshill, the community diagnostic centre operates seven days a week, ensuring more convenient access to healthcare closer to home, circumventing the hustle and bustle of hospitals.
Professor Mel Pickup, Chief Executive at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and lead for Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership, said: “We are thrilled to introduce this community diagnostic centre to Bradford. The centre provides easier and quicker access to tests as well as reducing outpatient referrals and attendances at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust and Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. It is so important that additional capacity is made available, especially to support our ambition to diagnose cancers faster, improve clinical outcomes and help save lives.
“We are redesigning the way we deliver care and support to local people in Bradford District and Craven, ensuring that more people will receive exceptional care in community settings now and into the future, keeping people healthy and out of hospital.”
The centre’s swift construction, commencing in June 2023 and culminating in just seven months, underscores its urgency and commitment to providing relief. Open to patients since January, the facility aims to contribute significantly to NHS England’s goal of increasing testing capacity to nine million diagnostic tests by 2025.
Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Healthy People and Places Portfolio lead at Bradford Council, said: “The opening of Eccleshill Community Diagnostic Centre is a testament to our commitment to improving health and care services for the people of Bradford District and wider. It will provide fair and equitable care delivery across the region, acting as a convenient one-stop-shop that allows patients to receive all diagnostic tests in one visit and help cut hospital waiting lists.”
Situated adjacent to Ashcroft Surgery, Kamsons Pharmacy, Eccleshill Community Hospital, and sharing premises with Westcliffe Health Innovations, the centre is positioned as a comprehensive diagnostic hub, streamlining patient visits and contributing to the reduction of hospital waiting lists.
