The NHS service is set to relocate to a vacant site at the Metrocentre, a shopping center located in Gateshead, UK. The move involves Gateshead Health and Newcastle Hospitals NHS trusts signing a £20 million lease agreement to rent a portion of the former House of Fraser department store.
The aim is to establish a community diagnostic center (CDC) that will provide services such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and respiratory and cardiac investigations. The CDC is expected to offer a much-needed boost to diagnostic services and make healthcare more accessible to the local community.
The move is also expected to create around 145,000 additional appointments per year, resulting in faster diagnoses. The transition to the new site is planned for 2024, while additional diagnostic services are set to commence in Blaydon by the end of this year.
Two health trusts have announced their plans to establish a diagnostic service within a former department store located at a shopping centre.
Gateshead Health and Newcastle Hospitals NHS trusts have secured a £20m lease agreement to occupy a section of the former House of Fraser building in Gateshead’s Metrocentre.
A community diagnostic centre (CDC) will be established to provide a range of services including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as well as respiratory and cardiac investigations.
The trusts expressed that the new centre would significantly enhance diagnostic services and improve accessibility to healthcare closer to individuals’ homes.
In response to the growing number of people requiring referral for screening and diagnostic tests outside of a hospital environment, the 40,000 sq ft (3,720 sq meter) facility was specifically designed to meet this demand.
According to their statement, the additional capacity provided by the facility, offering approximately 145,000 appointments annually, will lead to faster diagnoses.
Harrods, the luxury retailer, has occupied a portion of the ground floor of the former House of Fraser, resulting in a notable increase in footfall.
The CDC will be located behind Harrods, occupying a significant portion of the remaining space on that level. Access to the CDC will be available from the first floor, as stated by the trusts.
Ben Cox, representing property developer Sovereign Centros, described the development as a “significant milestone” in the progression of the shopping centre.
He emphasized that the site would serve as an important regional destination for various alternative uses, including healthcare.
Additionally, he mentioned that the anticipated creation of 134 new jobs and the resulting “significant new footfall” would have positive spillover effects for other shops situated on the premises.
While the CDC is scheduled to open in 2024, the trusts have announced plans to commence additional diagnostic services in Blaydon starting from the end of this year.
Source : bbc.com