James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has officially opened its new Community Diagnostic Centre – the first of three new outpatient imaging buildings at each of the three hospitals in Norfolk and Waveney following an £85.9 million capital investment from the Department of Health and Social Care. View this film for more information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpcbbZCUXjM
The first patients have already accessed services at the new centre, with the ribbon being cut by James Paget Hospital Chief Executive Jo Segasby at the opening ceremony, which was attended by guests including the hospital’s radiology team.
The Centre is the first phase of opening up further imaging services for patients, with additional Community Diagnostic Centres opening within the James Paget’s forthcoming Orthopaedic Elective Hub in the autumn 2024, and at Northgate Hospital in Great Yarmouth in 2025.
Situated adjacent to the Louise Hamilton Centre on the main hospital site, the Centre will offer patients an improved choice of Ultrasound, X-ray, CT and MR scanning options open between 8am-8pm for X-ray and 8.30am-8.30pm for all other areas.
Jo Segasby, Chief Executive at the James Paget Hospital, said: “We’re delighted to open up our new Community Diagnostic Centre – a dedicated resource that will radically improve the availability of imaging services for our patients, and increase the speed at which people can receive diagnoses for a range of health conditions.”
Dr Vinod Shenoy, Clinical Lead for the James Paget’s Radiology Department, said: “Inviting our first patients to attend appointments is an exciting first step in improving the imaging and diagnosis services we can provide to patients in Great Yarmouth and Waveney. Having access to brand new, cutting edge equipment is vital not only in the treatment of patients, but in supporting the clinical education of our staff and teams.”
Charlotte Dillaway, Chief Operating Officer at the James Paget, said: “On behalf of the Board of Directors, I wish to thank our entire radiology and project team, construction partners R G Carter, and colleagues across the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System, who have helped deliver the development of this vital new facility successfully.”
Mario Rackham, Director and General Manager at R G Carter, said: “We are extremely proud to have delivered this exceptional new healthcare provision, and continuing our successful and long-standing relationship with the James Paget University Hospital. We look forward to this state-of-the-art assessment centre benefiting both the patients and all the amazing staff in their ongoing commitment to delivering vital services to the local community.”
The Community Diagnostic Centre at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn, also delivered by R G Carter and LSI Architects, is scheduled to open later in 2024, with the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals’ Diagnostic Centre building operational early in 2025.
Programme lead for the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System (ICS), NNUH Director of Strategy and Major Projects Simon Hackwell, said: “It is fantastic to see the first of our Community Diagnostic Centres open, providing modern scanning equipment which is essential to so many of the patients under our care. By delivering a county wide programme of this size it will allow the NHS to transform scanning services across Norfolk and Waveney. The result of which will help us see patients more quickly, meaning faster diagnosis and therefore faster treatment and improved outcomes.”
The James Paget’s Community Diagnostic Centre is part of the hospital’s long term plan for its estate, and will be retained when the new hospital is constructed in the coming years.
