Published date: 06 October 2023
New Community Diagnostic Centre to Open in Slough
Slough is set to benefit from a state-of-the-art Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC), with a significant £25 million investment.
The new CDC, which will be situated on the Upton Hospital site in the Berkshire town, will offer a range of diagnostic services, including MRI, CT, and ultrasound scans, blood tests, testing for lung and heart conditions, and X-rays.
Residents have been encouraged to give their input to ensure that the centre caters to their needs. The CDC will be open seven days a week for 12 hours daily, enabling people to access diagnostic tests more quickly and closer to their homes. This move is expected to reduce waiting lists and improve health outcomes for the local population in Slough as well as communities in Windsor and East Berkshire.
The centre, subject to necessary planning approvals, will be developed by Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, working with partners from across the broader Frimley health and care system.
Stuart Hortop, Senior Estates Strategy Manager for NHS Property Services (NHSPS) in the South, said: "We are delighted to have supported the Trust in developing proposals for the new CDC in Slough.
“NHSPS looks forward to continuing to support the delivery of these proposals throughout development. The high-tech facility will help to transform how health professionals deliver the care that the people of Slough - and in the wider communities - deserve in an accessible location.”
Nigel Foster, who is leading the programme on behalf of Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The centre is fantastic news for our local communities, and will mean that people who need more than one diagnostic procedure may have them on the same day. This will help to diagnose conditions and illnesses, including cancer, more quickly.
“Not only will the increased testing help to improve the health of the local population and meet the growing demand for diagnostic services, it will also help free up capacity at Wexham Park Hospital.”
Sangeeta Saran, Director of Operations, Slough NHS Frimley, added: “The new centre will play a vital role in enabling us to meet local people’s needs in the future and, crucially, mean they spend as little time as possible waiting for the diagnoses they need.”
Scheduled to open in spring 2025, recruitment for clinical and non-clinical roles will commence in the lead-up to the centre opening.
