On Wednesday 7 September we were delighted to welcome Barking and Dagenham Council Leader Darren Rodwell and Health and Wellbeing Board Chair Maureen Worby for a tour of our upgraded diagnostic equipment at Barking Community Hospital, including a new state-of-the-art CT scanner.

Barking Community Hospital has been boosted by more mobile CT and MRI scanners, ultrasound facilities and X-ray machines in the last year, which has been vital in helping us reduce waiting lists and treat residents faster.

During the visit, Councillor Worby said: “The new CT scanner is stunning and something we’ve waited a long time for. I believe the improvements we are seeing is the start of something exciting at Barking Community Hospital and I hope the additional equipment will start to address the health inequalities in our borough.”

The new machines are part of the national Community Diagnostic Centres (CDC) programme, which has seen NHS partners across north east London (NEL) work together to increase the number of checks, scans and tests in our boroughs.

Residents can have their say on the next phase of the programme, which is looking at different sites for more diagnostics.

One of the proposals is to build a CDC at Barking Community Hospital, where patients could have an MRI scan, ultrasound and blood test all in one building.

Councillor Rodwell was “proud” to see the investment and said: “I encourage all residents to have their say on the consultation, which will provide vital diagnostics in Barking and Dagenham for generations to come.

“The new CT is incredible and the lightboxes that surround the machine will help relax patients and take their mind off the scan.”

Have your say on the consultation by completing a short survey before Tuesday 13 September 2022.