Mammography, ultrasound, CT, respiratory and cardiology services will be provided at new £7million unit at Stratford Hospital

STRATFORD’S new £7m community diagnostic centre is due to open next month, it was announced this week.

The centre is being built at Stratford Hospital with £6m of national funding and a £1m community infrastructure levy grant from Stratford District Council.

South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust said the phased timeline for services would see mammography begin first, from 9th June, followed by ultrasound on 16th June. Respiratory and cardiology services will start from 23rd June and CT from 14th July.

The centre is part of a national programme to transform diagnostic services by offering a wide range of elective tests outside of hospital settings, the trust said.

Suki Rai, the trust’s interim associate chief operating officer, said it would reduce hospital pressures and cut waiting times.

"Stratford’s new community diagnostic centre is already transforming patient care by bringing key diagnostic services closer to home."

"It gives our patients quicker access in a calmer, more convenient setting.

"This new model not only supports earlier diagnosis and treatment, but reflects a real shift towards delivering healthcare where it's most needed, easing the pressure at our acute hospital sites."

Stratford District Council leader Cllr Susan Juned said: “Having a locally available diagnostic centre will be helpful in providing early diagnosis and healthy outcomes for our residents. We need to provide proper health infrastructure as part of the development, so I am glad that the funding was able to relieve pressure on the NHS and provide a useful needed service.”