Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has opened its Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) this week.
The centre is the last of three outpatient imaging facilities to be built as part of a programme to deliver CDCs at each of the three hospitals in Norfolk and Waveney. It follows a combined £85.9million capital investment from the Department of Health and Social Care, the local health system and a £1.6million grant from tghe N&N Hospitals Charity, in partnership with the Norfolk Heart Trust, towards a cardiac heart scanner and two CT scanners. The Charity is also running the centre’s cafe.
Amongst the first in were Philip Hunt and Karen Playford, who were attending for CT and MRI scans respectively.
Philip said: “I am very happy with everything so far – and I was seen bang on time. It doesn’t get much better than that.”
Karen added: “It is so lovely, clean, fresh and calming. I love it. And the staff have been very helpful explaining everything to me.”
Situated away from the main hospital next to the Quadram Institute on the Norwich Research Park, the Centre will offer Ultrasound, X-ray, CT and MR scanning and will be open between 8am-8pm seven days a week. It is anticipated that the team, led by Seshni Mohammed, Imaging Service Operations Manager, will see 430 patients a day once at full capacity.
Team members gave NNUH CEO Professor Lesley Dwyer, and NNUH Lead Governor Elaine Bailey a tour of the building which incorporates calming patient-centred design and sustainability features including highly efficient air source heat pumps, LED lighting, solar panels and natural ventilation all to reduce the demand on energy sources and minimise creation of operational carbon.
Lesley said: “We’re delighted to see our new Community Diagnostic Centre up and running. It is a real triumph and such a testament to the people who have made this happen. Our team will be able to see approximately 150,000 patients a year, which will help to significantly speed up diagnosis times for people with a range of health conditions including some cancers.”
NNUH Radiology Service Operations Manager, Seshni Mohammed, said: “This has been an exciting day for us with the facility open for dedicated outpatient imaging. The building has been thoughtfully designed to provide a calm, soothing and relaxing environment, recognising that diagnostic imaging can be a bit overwhelming and uncomfortable for some.”
Programme Senior Responsible Owner (PSRO) Julia Kazimierczak said: “I would like to thank everyone who has played a role in delivering this facility successfully. It is a programme we are particularly proud of bringing together innovative design, workforce and operational standardisation across Norfolk and Waveney Radiology services – all with patients and staff at the centre. I would particularly like to thank members of the Patient Panel who gave their views on our design ideas, accessibility and signage.”
NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System (ICS), Executive Director of Nursing Tricia D’Orsi, said: “It’s fantastic to see our third and final new Community Diagnostic Centre open, providing modern scanning equipment which is essential to so many local patients. By delivering a system-wide programme of this size it allows the NHS to transform scanning services across Norfolk and Waveney. The result of which will help us to see patients more quickly, leading to faster diagnoses and therefore faster treatment and improved health outcomes.”
N&N Hospitals Charity Director John Paul Garside said: “We are very grateful to all our donors and supporters who have made it possible for the Charity to contribute £1.6 million to this new centre, supporting faster diagnosis and improved service for patients. The generosity of the people of Norfolk will make a real difference for many years to come.”
CDCs at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn and James Paget University Hospitals opened last year.
