PREPARATION work for the construction of the Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) at St Margaret’s Hospital, Epping, has begun, as part of plans for The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) to provide quicker and more local access to diagnostic tests close to patients’ homes.

PAHT has appointed contractor Morgan Sindall Construction, which has begun preparatory work to establish the site boundary and within the North Bungalow building at the Spencer Close site. The local community will see hoarding up at the hospital site as this exciting programme gets underway. 

The preparatory work is currently being carried out, with construction to begin this month (December). The CDC is due to open in December 2025. 

There will be extended opening times and additional equipment at the St Margaret’s Hospital CDC to support the current additional capacity being provided for MRI scans, X-rays and non-obstetric (non-pregnancy) ultrasounds, including:

• Two additional computerised tomography (CT) scanners;
• Extended hours for X-rays;
• New ultrasound equipment;
• New cardiology equipment;
• New respiratory equipment;
• Relocated MRI scanner; and
• More phlebotomists to be recruited – increasing the number of blood tests that can be carried out

Additionally, as part of the CDC programme, the services provided at Herts and Essex Hospital, Bishop’s Stortford, include extended hours for ultrasound, X-ray and audiology. Additional capacity for non-obstetric (non-pregnancy) ultrasound and audiology are currently being provided, together with additional hours for X-ray. 

 Michael Meredith, director of strategy and estates at The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust, said: “We are excited for construction to begin on our Community Diagnostic Centre at St Margaret’s Hospital and we are looking forward to our vision taking shape in the coming months. 

“The CDC will enhance patient experience by enabling our patients to be seen more quickly and closer to their homes, providing modern, integrated, outstanding healthcare to support our community.”

Ryan Liversage, Area Director for Morgan Sindall Construction in Essex, said: “We’re delighted to be getting started onsite at the Community Diagnostic Centre at St Margaret’s Hospital, as this is a key milestone in the creation of a facility that will bring a wide range of vital healthcare benefits to the local area. Thanks to a close, collaborative relationship with The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trustand the ProCure 23 (P23) procurement framework, we’ve developed a design and a construction process tailored to the needs of the hospital’s staff and the community.”

Christopher Philbedge, Estates Strategy Lead, at NHS Property Services, said: “We are excited to see works commence at the Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) at St Margaret’s Hospital, Epping. It brings us great pride to be able to support PAHT in providing the community with the excellent healthcare they need by optimising and rationalising their estate.”