Tens of thousands of patients across Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset can now access crucial diagnostic services faster and closer to home, thanks to a £14 million boost from the NHS.
This significant investment has led to the opening of three community diagnostic centres in the region, each equipped to deliver essential diagnostic services previously only available in hospitals.
The first of these centres was unveiled at Sulis Hospital in Bath in March 2023, followed by new sites at West Swindon Health Centre and Salisbury Centre Health Clinic in March and April of this year. Each centre now provides tests such as ultrasounds, MRI scans, and echocardiograms, reducing wait times for patients, including those with symptoms that could indicate cancer.
Dr Amanda Webb, Chief Medical Officer for Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, expressed the importance of these facilities, saying, “We know that waiting for clinical investigations can be a very anxious time for patients. These new centres are helping us reduce that stress, as we can see more patients quicker and in locations closer to home, with the same advanced equipment found in larger hospitals. Most crucially, this setup enables us to detect serious illnesses, including life-threatening conditions like cancer, much sooner, which means treatment can begin earlier.”
The community diagnostic centres have already served over 15,000 patients, offering critical tests such as CT scans, X-rays, and endoscopies. By April 2025, the centres are expected to cater to around 60,000 people, a shift that Claire Thompson, Chief Officer for Improvements and Partnerships at Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, described as “just the beginning” of an exciting journey in local healthcare.
“While our three diagnostic centres are up and running, we’ll soon be introducing a host of new services, such as dedicated cardiac and ultrasound suites at Salisbury and state-of-the-art endoscopy units in both Bath and Swindon. This expansion will help us bring the same high-quality care available in our hospitals into the community, offering tangible benefits for those awaiting potentially life-changing diagnoses,” added Thompson.
For more details about the new community diagnostic centres, please visit BSW NHS website.
