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The new £25 million centre is part of a national NHS programme to improve access to diagnostic services and a key milestone in Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust’s 2030 vision for modern, inclusive and connected healthcare.
The centre will deliver up to 150,000 additional tests each year, including CT, MRI, ultrasound, X ray, lung function and blood tests. Open seven days a week, the service is designed to reduce waiting times, bring care closer to home, ease pressure on hospitals, including Wexham Park and will support GPs and community clinics so urgent patients are cared for more rapidly.
Lance McCarthy, Chief Executive of Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, said:
This is a landmark day for Slough and for our Trust. The new Community Diagnostic Centre will make it faster and easier for people to get the tests they need, closer to where they live. It supports the national NHS commitment to cut waiting times and will deliver easy access to world-class diagnostic services for 150,000 more appointments each year, supporting earlier diagnosis, improving health outcomes, and tackling health inequalities in partnership with local communities.
Dr Nick Broughton, Chief Executive, NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West ICB & NHS Frimley ICB said:
It’s fantastic to have this vital community facility in Slough. The opening of this new state-of-the-art centre is great news for local people, and its benefits will be far-reaching — helping patients to be seen sooner and enabling earlier diagnosis of health issues. Community diagnostic centres are playing a key role in transforming care by bringing essential tests and services much closer to home.
A major step forward for local healthcare
The Slough centre is part of a national network of community diagnostic hubs being created across England. These facilities are providing millions of extra tests each year, helping to spot illnesses such as cancer and heart disease earlier and improving outcomes for patients.
Working together, Frimley Health, NHS Frimley Integrated Care Board, NHS England, and local partners are making it quicker for GPs to request tests and receive results, meaning fewer unnecessary visits to hospital and speedier next steps for patients.
Modern, digital and patient focused
The new centre is one of the most up to date facilities in the region. It uses linked imaging systems and secure digital reporting so clinicians can access patient results quickly and safely across the NHS. This helps teams make faster decisions and gives patients a smoother, joined up experience.
The design and planning of the CDC were shaped by input from local residents, faith groups and community organisations. It offers flexible appointment times, easy transport links and a calm, modern environment for patients.
Lance McCarthy added:
This centre has been shaped by local people, and local staff will run it as a significant part of our wider plans to deliver care closer to home so patients need fewer hospital visits, using technology to speed up diagnosis and improve safety and we will do all of this by continuing to work with and for our communities to reduce inequalities and improve health for all.
