Boost as NHS diagnostic hub expands services further in town centre

The MRI scanner being delivered to the CDC

The NHS hub in Barnsley town centre – the first of its kind in the UK – is staffed by a multi-disciplinary team of hospital staff.

Set inside The Glass Works alongside major retail brands, cafés, and restaurants, the Community Diagnostic Centre was proposed as a new service model to support the required expansion of diagnostic services to meet future demand

Phase One of the hub opened in The Glass Works in April 2022, providing many of Barnsley Hospital’s outpatient diagnostic appointments on a pre-arranged basis.

The CDC opened at The Glassworks in April 2022

The centre provides vital services such as breast screening, bone density screening, blood tests, ultrasounds, and X-Rays, and, since opening, has helped significantly reduce wait times, with bone density screenings cut from six weeks in March 2022 to a single week by October the same year.

Phase Two has now seen the addition of services including bladder screening, CT scanning and retinal eye screening.

Bob Kirkton, chief of delivery and deputy chief executive officer at Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The CDC is proving to be a huge success all round, from increased uptake rates for breast screening – from 50 per cent in April 2022 to 72 per cent in October 2022 – to reduced ‘did not attend’ figures and increased availability of appointments.

“The hub is helping services run on time with patients being seen before or at their appointment time, with waiting practically cut altogether.”

Councillor Robin Franklin, cabinet spokesperson for regeneration and culture, said: “Health services like this are bringing life and vibrancy back to town and city centres up and down the country, and we are delighted to be at the vanguard of this change in Barnsley, allowing us to use this space in a more modern and flexible way better meeting the needs of our residents.

“This mixed-use approach is increasing footfall around the town, which is up 23 per cent for 2023 compared to 2022.

“This is encouraging more retailers to open and more businesses to start up here in Barnsley town centre.”