£15 million community diagnostic unit set to open at Newmarket hospital by end of year
A new £15 million community diagnostic unit (CDC) in Newmarket could be welcoming its first patients by the end of the year.
The official topping out at the unit, which is currently under construction at Newmarket hospital, took place on Thursday on what Nicola Booth, head of development, estates and facilities for the West Suffolk Foundation Trust (WSFT), said was a historic day.
The unit forms part of a national programme to improve local access to diagnostic testing, and will provide patients with quicker and faster access to a wide range of tests, such as MRI, CT, X-ray, ultrasound, lung function and cardiology.
This means waiting times will be reduced for patients, as well as a decrease in the length of time between being referred for tests, having appointments, getting results, and beginning any necessary treatment.
When complete, the new unit will include an MRI suite, CT scanners, X-ray suites and three ultra sound rooms.
The CDC is being constructed using modern building techniques, including green building aspects so that it contributes to the trust’s environmental goals.
Featuring air-source heat pumps to provide an efficient source of heating and hot water, the building’s temperature will also be regulated through constant air volume heating and cooling, as well as heat recovery units, to ensure consistent and efficient temperature control.
Matthew Clarke, West Suffolk NHS senior project manager for estate and facilities, said 120 solar panels were being installed as part of the scheme.
Along with other features, they will generate at least 46 per cent of the new unit’s energy, 36 per cent above the original target, showcasing the trust’s commitment to making its buildings sustainable.
Work on the project began in January when Dr Ewen Cameron, chief executive of the West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, turned the first part of the ground, to mark the start of building.
“This facility will greatly expand our diagnostic capacity, meaning we will provide the right care, at the right time and in the right place even more quickly which will ultimately and, most importantly, improve outcomes for our patients,” he said.
