THE Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) is delighted to plan to welcome its first patient to the Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) at St Margaret’s Hospital, Epping, on Monday (16 March).

There will begin to be some clinical activity through the centre including cardiology, respiratory and imaging diagnostics (CT, MRI and ultrasound) ahead of the official opening on Friday 8 May.

This is part of PAHT’s plans to support quicker and more local access to diagnostic tests and treatment close to patients’ homes.

There will be extended opening times and additional equipment at the St Margaret’s 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;
New MRI scanner; and

More phlebotomists – 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.

CDC services at both St Margaret’s Hospital and Herts and Essex Hospital are available to patients by appointment, not on a walk-in basis.

New clinical pathways

There will be streamlined clinical care – known as ‘pathways’ – available for patients to access services for conditions in the future including:
Breathlessness
Children and young people’s asthma
Unscheduled bleeding on hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
Liver health checks (surveillance)
Rapid access care for chest pain
Palpitations
Sleep studies
Trans-nasal (via nose) endoscopy of the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract
Urology – focused on prostate diagnostics

As the main CDC welcomes its first patients, construction work will continue on an extension to the CDC, further developing the site to accommodate the fibroscanner to check for liver inflammation, an additional ultrasound, X-ray and space for trans-nasal endoscopy.

Dr Monica Bose, Divisional Director of Planned Pathways and Consultant Gastroenterologist at The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT), said: “I am delighted to see the St Margaret’s Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) ready to welcome its first patient.

“Our CDC will significantly improve care for our patients, with quicker and more local access to diagnostic tests and treatment close to patients’ homes.”

Thom Lafferty, Chief Executive at The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT), said: “The St Margaret’s Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) is integral to our vision for neighbourhood health, with more integrated care for our community, closer to home.

“Welcoming our first patient is a pivotal moment in what is just the beginning of our plans to transform care for our community in the coming years.”