Patients across north Cumbria will benefit from earlier diagnostic tests closer to home thanks to investment in diagnostics available in north Cumbria announced today.
North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust (NCIC) has secured a share of a £350m national pot to create 40 new Community Diagnostic Centres announced by the Government and NHS today (Friday 1 October).
A three year proposal had been submitted to create a diagnostic hub at Penrith. As part of this proposal, the Trust has been successful in receiving the funding for year one (£1.87 million) which will enable us to bring additional mobile CT and MRI scanners and boost existing ultrasound and endoscopy capacity to the Trust.
Dean Oliver, Executive Director of Performance and Strategy said “This welcome and much needed funding is great news for our patients as it will help to improve access to the diagnostic tests they need. Our local teams have already made great progress in ramping scans and tests back up to pre-pandemic levels. Now, in addition to the new endoscopy unit at Carlisle which will be operating for 6 months from 1st November, this new investment will help us go even further. If further monies are awarded in year 2 and 3, we will be able to realise the vision for a full community diagnostics hub at Penrith Hospital.”
The diagnostic centres will help achieve:
- earlier diagnoses for patients through easier, faster, and more direct access to the full range of diagnostic tests needed to understand patients’ symptoms
- a reduction in hospital visits which will help to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.