A NEW Endoscopy Unit will be opened at the Hospital of St Cross this summer, as part of a £34million investment by the NHS to speed up patient diagnosis across Coventry and Warwickshire.
The unit, which will increase capacity for CT and Ultrasound services, makes up part of three new community diagnostic centres (CDCs) being funded in the area by the investment from NHS England and Improvement.
The aim is to give patients shorter waiting times and better access to vital diagnostic procedures – giving them the best chance of successful treatment for potentially life-threatening conditions such as cancer.
NHS Coventry and Warwickshire says work on the new unit is set to begin soon.
The unit will make up part of the new Coventry CDC – complemented by a new dedicated CDC to be developed on the City of Coventry Health Centre site, with major works ongoing over the next two years.
The centre’s location will mean patients will be able to benefit from accessibility and transport links and will have easier access to a range of diagnostic services.
The Warwickshire North CDC, based by the George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton, will be expanded with diagnostic tests for cancer and new CT and MRI scanners.
The Stratford Hospital-based South Warwickshire CDC has introduced different diagnostic equipment throughout 2022, increasing access to CT and MRI scans. The equipment will be moved to a new dedicated building on the hospital site in 2024.
The services offered at CDCs will be separate from urgent diagnostic test facilities, reducing the number of hospital visits and resulting in shorter waiting times by diverting people away from hospitals.
This, say health bosses, will enable hospitals to focus on treating urgent patients while the diagnostic centres tackle the backlog for tests and checks.
The cash will also be used to raise the number of short-term diagnostic tests across Coventry and Warwickshire while the CDCs are being built.
Patients will be referred for diagnostic procedures at CDCs by their GP.
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust CEO Prof Andy Hardy added: “The two developments in the heart of Rugby and Coventry will mean patients will have improved access to planned diagnostic tests closer to home and they will receive care quicker improving their experiences and outcomes.
“This early diagnosis is crucial in giving patients the best possible chance of successful treatment and recovery, and I am looking forward to seeing the positive impact of these new CDCs.”
