Work starts on £7m new diagnostics centre at Stratford Hospital
WORK has started on a £7m purpose-built diagnostic centre at Stratford Hospital.
South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust said the single-storey extension of the hospital building will house the hospital’s two MRI scanners and a CT scanner.
This development will give patients increased access to services that aim to get conditions diagnosed sooner and improve the outcomes of their treatments.
The centre has been funded by £6m national funding and a £1m Community Infrastructure Levy grant from Stratford District Council.
SWFT chief strategy officer Sophie Gilkes said: “Co-locating our diagnostic services will make it more convenient for patients to access vital tests and supports our commitment to reducing waiting times.
“Stratford Hospital has evolved drastically over the last ten years and this next phase of development will bring even more services closer to communities across south Warwickshire.
“We are extremely grateful to the grant awarded by Stratford District Council, which is going to make this extension fit for the future.”
SWFT said the diagnostics centre has been part of its long-term plan for the hospice, which opened in 2017.
It added that it has been able to increase the size of the extension, which will allow the trust to build on top of it in the future, thanks to the financial support from the district council.
Cllr Susan Juned, leader of Stratford District Council, added: “This significant funding for Stratford Hospital will play a key role in enabling the trust to build a dedicated facility, which will support them to improve access to vital diagnostics for the district.“One of our main priorities in our new council plan is to make sure health and wellbeing is at the heart of the decisions we make, and I am delighted the council is able to play a central role in supporting this facility and the health and wellbeing of our district residents, creating a lasting legacy that will save lives.”
The building work is expected to be complete by spring 2025.
The hospital buildings, including the café, will remain open. SWFT added that it was exploring options to create additional green spaces elsewhere on the site.
Plans for the diagnostics centre were revealed in February last year part of a £34m investment across Coventry and Warwickshire.
The money will pay for three centres – the other two are in Coventry and Rugby.
Patients will be referred for diagnostic procedures by their GP.
