New health centre to speed up heart disease and cancer diagnoses

A new Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) has opened in Denton, with NHS bosses saying diagnosis and treatment for cancer and heart disease “is set to get quicker”.

Although the centre opened to patients last month, it was officially unveiled on Wednesday October 2 by the Minister for Public Health and Prevention – and local MP – Andrew Gwynne. 

“Already over 2,000 people have made use of the facilities here,” he said after the ceremony. “There’s currently capacity for around 25,000 appointments a year, but there’s already talk about putting even more diagnostic and screening services in here which could facilitate a doubling of available appointments to 50,000 a year. 

“The CDC currently has Bone Density scanners, a CT Scanner, an MRI Scanner, Ultrasound scanners, Diabetes Eye Screening, and several general consultation rooms. 

“I know the work done in this new centre will ensure we tackle real health inequalities in the area, and ensure we identify conditions sooner and get people the treatment they need more quickly to prevent further ill health.” 

As well as Tameside and Glossop NHS, the CDC is run in conjunction with the Stockport NHS Foundation Trust and InHealth, a private diagnostics company.  

Although patients will need a referral to use the facility, it means they could avoid going to hospital for tests. 

Its management expect a capacity of 36,000 appointments by the end of its fifth year, growing to 50,000 after a decade. 

“The recent opening of the Community Diagnostic Centre marks a significant step forward in our joint efforts to bring down waiting lists and provide more diagnostic capacity to the population we serve,” said Jonathan O’Brien, Chief Operating Officer at Tameside and Glossop NHS Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust. 

“Getting people diagnosed and treated quicker is absolutely crucial to a patient’s long term health outcomes, and this centre is pivotal in our quest to ensuring our patients live longer, happier and healthier lives. 

“Health care is most effective when delivered in the heart of the community, and there is no better location than Crown Point.”