Thousands more residents across north east London can now access quicker and more accurate diagnostic scans and tests thanks to our second Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) which has opened in Hornchurch.

The CDC, which is part of the St George’s Health and Wellbeing Hub, will help us perform an extra 35,000 scans and tests a year, speeding up diagnosis and treatment for our patients.

Alongside CT, ultrasound, x-rays, blood tests, and cardiology tests, patients can also have an MRI scan using our new state-of-the-art scanner.

The advanced technology means it’s a quicker and smoother scan for our patients, providing more accurate images and supporting them through their scan through the auto voice capability. It is also better for the environment.

Since opening, the centre has helped ease pressure in our hospitals ensuring patients in our care get the scans they need when they need them.

The centre is also a key part of the new St George’s Health and Wellbeing Hub, which provides a wide range of health and wellbeing services all in one place for around 250,000 people in Havering and surrounding areas. 

Once fully up and running, patients using other services at the Hub including our Ageing Well Centre, if needed, will be able to get scans and diagnostic tests on the day avoiding the need for extra visits to local hospitals.

The centre is our second CDC to open in the last year. Our first at Barking Community Hospital opened in April and saw more than 25,000 patients in 2024.

Fiona Wheeler, our Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer, visited teams at the site, alongside our CDC Programme Lead Christiane Zelenyanszki.

She said: “It’s great to open our second centre in the community. It is already helping residents get quicker and more accurate scans and tests either giving them the all-clear sooner or diagnosing them quicker so we can give them the treatment they need.”