Summary
Rossendale Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) is a spoke community diagnostic centre for east Lancashire. It was established as part of the NHS national initiative to deliver services in the heart of the community and support the reduction in the NHS elective care backlog following COVID-19. The CDC provides various diagnostic services, including an upgraded X-ray, non-obstetrics ultrasound, cardiology, endoscopy, respiratory services, and an external MRI scanner pod. Increased provision across east Lancashire helps patients get a diagnosis quicker, shorten waiting lists, and reduce costs for the NHS. The Rossendale CDC works in partnership with the Burnley General Hospital CDC hub 11 miles away.
The CDC is located within Rossendale Primary Health Care Centre (PHCC), a modern, fit-for-purpose, core NHS building providing care closer to home and enabling better health outcomes for local communities.
On 28 April 2025, the Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer MP visited Rossendale CDC to meet the team, a visit organised by East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust.
Read: Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer MP visits Rossendale Community Diagnostic Centre
Background
The Rossendale Primary Health Care Centre (PHCC) is in the centre of Rawtenstall, in the Borough of Rossendale, which lies south of Burnley and Blackburn. Placing diagnostic services at Rossendale Primary Health Care Centre allows the Lancashire and South Cumbria ICS to deliver place-based care which helps to reduce the NHS elective care backlog. Patients can be treated closer to home, reducing the need to travel to appointments at busy hospitals locally.
The Challenge
Rossendale Borough is within the 20% most deprived areas in the country for employment deprivation (Map of Rossendale English Indices of Deprivation 2019 – PDF). Burnley and Hyndburn both rank in the lowest 10% of deprived areas in England with Pendle in the lowest 20% (Source: Lancashire County Council).
Rossendale CDC is in an area of high health and economic need. The challenge was to meet national diagnostic targets and to provide faster diagnoses for patients in the most deprived areas of Lancashire without the need to travel to hospital.
The Solution
Rossendale CDC
Rossendale CDC opened in August 2021 with the external MRI scanner on pads on the car park; it has since expanded its services to include non-obstetric ultrasound, cardiology, and respiratory services. An X-ray machine was upgraded in 2023 to improve efficiency allowing radiographers to x-ray more people and reduce waiting times. There is scope to add further services.
- Purpose: The Rossendale CDC services are provided by East Lancashire Health NHS Trust (ELHT) for patients in east Lancashire reducing waiting times and diagnostic backlogs.
- Location: Rossendale PHCC was chosen due to its modern facilities, good IT connectivity, excellent local transport connections, and existing space for additional diagnostic services.
- Accessibility: The Primary Health Care Centre is open from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, and has the potential for weekend opening hours to meet increased demand.
Diagnostic Services at Rossendale CDC
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust manages two CDCs in Burnley and Rossendale. Collectively they have provided an additional 73,059 tests to patients in East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen since opening in August 2021 for Rossendale and October 2022 for Burnley.
(Sept 2024)
CDC Services
The CDC offers a range of diagnostic services, including:
- MRI
- X-ray
- non-obstetric ultrasound
- cardiology testing
- respiratory tests
- endoscopy
Healthwatch England Community Diagnostic Centres report – August 2024
In August 2024 Healthwatch England visited 22 CDCs including Rossendale CDCs, and published an article A local diagnosis: Learning the lessons of Community Diagnostic Centres (28 August 2024) including details of patient feedback and accessibility.
- Briefing Report A local diagnosis: Learning the lessons of Community Diagnostic Centres (PDF) – 28 August 2024
- Rossendale CDC ‘enter and view report including PDF. The information in this report feeds into the overall report (above).
Enter and view report – Rossendale CDC
Partnerships
The CDC was established by Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board and East Lancashire Hospitals Trust and is run on a day-to-day basis by East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust. CHP worked in partnership with the ICB and Lancashire Hospitals Trust teams, with the One Partnership (LIFTCo), Eric Wright, and contractors to deliver the new CDC.
Read: Community Diagnostic Centres providing faster, more convenient care: East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (Sept 2024)
Rossendale Primary Health Care Centre – a hub for the community
Rossendale Primary Health Care Centre opened in 2009 and is a health hub for the local community. The facility offers services including a GP practice, a minor injuries unit, a birthing unit, endoscopy, physiotherapy, and various outpatient services (dermatology, diabetes, lower limb vascular service, and long-covid). There is a base for North West Ambulance Service. Every two years a mobile breast screening unit is based on-site for easier patient access. There are well used bookable rooms including eight Treatment / Consulting rooms, two Group rooms and one interview room.
Rossendale PHCC is also a spoke Community Diagnostic Centre with an upgraded X-ray, non-obstetrics ultrasound, endoscopy, cardiology testing, and an external MRI scanner pod.
CHP is head tenant while East Lancashire Buildings Partnership (LIFTCo) part of One Partnership own the building (www.one-partnership.co.uk).
Rossendale Hospice
Rossendale PHCC is also home to Rossendale Hospice (www.rossendalehospice.org) a charity which strives to improve the quality of life for everyone in Rossendale who is coping with life-limiting illness. Their Wellbeing Centre offers a wide range of services supporting patients to help them deal with the physical, emotional and social impact of living with a life-limiting illness.
AccessAble Guide: Rossendale PHCC AccessAble Guide
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