One of the first Community Diagnostic Centres in England now benefits from a fixed MRI scanner after a delicate and specialist operation to crane in the 6,550 kg diagnostic machine. This has increased diagnostic capacity in the community providing ease of access for local patients.
The Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) at Finchley Memorial Hospital has now helped more than 60,000 NHS patients across Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey and Islington to get quicker and more local access to diagnostic scans and tests since opening in 2021.
This ambitious programme of work has rapidly grown from a single mobile CT scanner to a site which currently offers CT, MRI, ultrasound, phlebotomy, ophthalmology, cardiology, respiratory and microvascular tests.
MRI Installation
In August 2022, the brand new fixed MRI scanner was installed in a custom built MRI suite on the first floor. It was craned in through the window of the building by specialist contractors in five sections. The specialist craning operation took five hours. The Siemens team assembled and tested the MRI scanner over the following two weeks.
Community Diagnostic Centre's are being established across the UK to increase NHS diagnostic capacity by providing new facilities and equipment, training new staff, creating new partnerships and innovative ways of delivering healthcare, whilst reducing pressures on acute sites such as hospitals and helping to reduce the NHS backlog.
Partnership working at Finchley CDC
Collaborative working between North London Estate Partnerships, gbpartnerships, Community Health Partnerships and North Central London (NCL) ICS was at the heart of its delivery and development as a CDC, as was the flexibility of the CHP building.
Community Health Partnerships is the head tenant for Finchley Memorial Hospital working in partnership with North London Estate Partnerships (LIFTCo), North Central London ICS (NCL Health and Care) NHS North Central London ICB and alongside Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust as the CDC host. gbpartnerships consult are delivering the CDC project.
NHS trusts providing services from the Finchley CDC site include Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust and Central London Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (CLCH).
Watch Video: MRI Installation
Find out more about the MRI and other clinical services at Finchley Memorial Hospital (Youtube video – August 2022)
Diagnostic services at Finchley CDC
Finchley Memorial Hospital CDC opened in August 2021 and was one of the first sites in the UK to begin providing services in this new and innovative way. This ambitious programme has rapidly grown from a single mobile CT scanner to now include one fixed and one mobile MRI scanner and two non-obstetric ultrasound machines. Diagnostic services currently available include MRI and CT scans, non-obstetric ultrasound scans, blood tests, ophthalmology, and other cardiology, respiratory and microvascular tests. The new, dedicated MRI suite opened last week with the first fixed scanner now operational.
Over the next year, other work taking place at the Finchley CDC includes:
- Further expansion of the MRI suite with an additional fixed scanner
- Installing a fixed CT scanner
- Developing x-ray services
- Expanding respiratory services to include sleep testing. This is in addition to lung function tests currently offered to patients.
Read: Finchley Memorial Hospital Community Diagnostic Centre celebrates 50,000 patient milestone on its first birthday(August 2022)
Read: Community Diagnostic Centres
Read: CHP Insights
How CHP supports CDC planning
CHP has substantial delivery capabilities, and a procurement safe supply chain so we can respond to requests for CDC feasibility studies and adaptions quickly and efficiently.
We have regional packs providing details about the CDC opportunities in your area.
Contact your Regional Director or the CHP CDC team.
| London | Philippa Robinson | p.robinson@communityhealthpartnerships.co.uk |
| Midlands and East | Mark Grinonneau | m.grinnoneau@communityhealthpartnerships.co.uk |
| North East | Jane Fitch | j.fitch@communityhealthpartnerships.co.uk |
| North West | Andy Muir | a.muir@communityhealthpartnerships.co.uk |
| South | Simon Waters | s.waters@communityhealthpartnerships.co.uk |
Find out more about delivering a Community Diagnostic Centre in an existing core asset.
Contact the CHP CDC team.
