Our new state-of-the-art Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) at Barking Community Hospital (BCH) opened in April 2024 and has been reducing waits for residents across north east London.

Patient feedback has been excellent with many complimenting the modern and relaxing feel of the facility, with one describing it as "the NHS at its best, an excellent service."

It means our local communities and residents across north east London can access quicker, more convenient and a more personal service away from acute hospital sites.

Since opening, we've made a video for our patients so they have an idea of what having an appointment, test, or scan is like at the centre. You can watch this below.

The CDC will perform more than 50,000 scans and tests a year and has played a big part in helping us reduce waiting lists and treat residents faster.

The site was chosen at BCH to help us meet growing demand in the area and reduce health inequalities. The area is expected to see a significant increase in population over the next 20 to 30 years and the change in demographics in the borough will contribute to a 21% rise in the demand for services.

The open and spacious facility was built off-site at a factory in Gloucester and was designed to make it feel light and relaxing for patients through big floor to ceiling windows throughout and an open and welcoming reception and waiting area. It will also have suitable waiting, changing and other public facilities.

Colours have also been used to improve the experience for patients with dementia and ramps, lifts and accessible changing rooms throughout are just some of the aspects included that were put forward by patients when gathering feedback.

A few months after seeing its first patient, we held an ribbon cutting ceremony where we hosted key stakeholders from across the NHS and local community. Watch a snapshot of the event below.

Building a centre that’s right for you

It was important that residents had their say to help us design and build a centre that is right for them. Read our report to find out what people told us, from how we can make the environment relaxing to preferred appointment times.

We also engaged with residents who live closest to Barking Community Hospital, to find out their thoughts on the design of the CDC.

We captured their feedback by running a survey and holding public and virtual drop-in sessions. Read the findings of this work in our second engagement report.

In the meantime, please send an email if you have any queries about CDCs.