State-of-the-art Community Diagnostic Centre that will give patients faster access to tests and improve patient experience with pioneering scanners is now open at Ilkeston Community Hospital
A new state-of-the-art Community Diagnostic Centre which aims to deliver 97,000 tests a year has opened at Ilkeston Community hospital, to bring down waiting lists and give patients faster access to diagnostic testing and results, in a community hospital which is closer to home.
One key innovation in the new facility, is an open MRI scanner, which is one of only two in the country and the first in the region, and aims to support patients who may be claustrophobic, to receive the care they need with a better experience.
The machine works in the same way as the more commonly seen 'closed' MRI machines, but it has open sides and quieter operating sounds, which reduces the risk of patients experiencing distress or claustrophobia when having a scan. The open design of the scanner is also a more suitable and better alternative for patients with additional needs, such as a learning disability or cognitive impairment.
The Community Diagnostic Centre is run by experienced clinical teams from University Hospitals of Derby and Burton (UHDB) and was officially opened by Stephen Posey, Chief Executive of UHDB and Prem Singh, Chair of UHDB on Friday 21 February. Local MPs Adam Thompson and Linsey Farnsworth were taken on a tour of the innovative £5.1 million facility and were joined by a VIP guest, Ian Jackson, who officially opened the centre in memory of his Mum, and former patient Val Jackson.
Other services have been introduced and expanded at the site to significantly increase the number of patient tests, including easier access to enhanced Computerised Tomography (CT) scanning, x-ray facilities, phlebotomy (blood tests), and Point of Care Testing (POCT).
Stephen Posey, Chief Executive Officer at UHDB said the changes will result in a better care experience for patients.
Stephen said: "We hope that this centre will have a real impact for local people. Expanding diagnostic and testing capacity in the heart of our communities not only means that people will be able to access services closer to home, but that we will be able to do more tests, more quickly - ultimately delivering reduced waiting times and a better care experience for our patients."
The facilities are already having an impact with the number of diagnostic scans and tests taken in the current year up to March reaching 64,000, which is up 18,000 on the same period last year - with an average of 1,900 diagnostic tests being delivered every week, double previous figures.
"We are very proud to see mum's name up on the wall of this fantastic new centre"
Cutting the ribbon to officially open the centre was Ian Jackson, son of Val Jackson, a former patient who was cared for at Ilkeston Community Hospital before she passed away in 1988 from Ovarian Cancer.
Val had expressed hopes that future cancer patients could receive care at Ilkeston, rather than having to travel further afield to hospitals in Nottingham and Derby.
Only six weeks after her death, her husband, with the help of locals in the Ilkeston community, started fundraising to make her wish come true and raised more than £80,000 for scanning equipment, which helps detect early signs of cancer.
A plaque displaying Val's name took pride of place on a plaque at the hospital, but will now form the 'Val Jackson Suite' at the Community Diagnostic Centre.
Ian said it was an honour to see his mother's name commemorated permanently at the new facility, and he is proud that her vision is still saving lives now.
Ian said: "To be a part of this special day and to see mum's name on the wall of this new centre is really touching. The fundraising was all her idea and it is something we as a family have done to help others in mum's memory.
"We are very proud of what our parents achieved and it is an honour to have been invited to celebrate the opening of this centre which will allow people to have better and quicker access to tests, something my mum was passionate about."
"This will make a difference to our constituents and improve their health outcomes"
The official opening was also attended by local MPs Adam Thompson and Linsey Farnsworth, who toured the facilities and the Urgent Treatment Centre at the site to see firsthand the services that are now helping to test and diagnose patients across the communities they serve.
Adam Thompson, MP for Erewash, said the investment into the facilities will support the reduction of waiting lists.
He said: "This was an excellent visit to Ilkeston Community Hospital, where it was fascinating to speak to NHS staff and see the brand-new equipment they are using to deliver improved health outcomes for our community. This kind of investment, which makes sure health issues can be detected and addressed earlier, is key to our mission to get the NHS back on its feet, and continue to bring down NHS waiting lists.”
Linsey Farnsworth, MP for Amber Valley said she enjoyed touring the new facilities and is delighted to see in action, what her constituents will now have access to.
She said: “It was an honour to be invited to Ilkeston Community Hospital to see the updated Urgent Treatment Centre and the new state-of-the-art Community Diagnostic Centre. I’m delighted that these facilities will mean that my constituents in Amber Valley who use the centre will get tested sooner and can access their results and care faster. This in turn will help to improve their health outcomes."
The Community Diagnostic Centres are part of a £29.9m investment to create ‘one-stop shops’ that improve local population health outcomes by bringing essential diagnostic testing closer to local communities that need them the most. The centres are strategically located to support communities with challenges accessing hospital diagnostic services and will support the local healthcare system with reducing hospital pressures particularly during winter pressure and peak seasons.
There are two additional community diagnostic centres opening across UHDB at Florence Nightingale Community Hospital in Derby and Sir Robert Peel Community Hospital in Tamworth, while Community Hospitals in Whitworth and Walton are also forming part of the project. When all of the sites are online, the five centres are expected to deliver around 400,000 diagnostic tests in 2024/2025 supporting quicker access to care for local communities.