The £24.6m state-of-the-art Hinckley Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) has been officially opened by Dr Luke Evans, MP for Hinckley and Bosworth.

Located next to the site of the former Hinckley and District Community Hospital in Mount Road, the centre will act as a major hub providing a range of diagnostic tests such as CT, MRI, X-Ray, ultrasound, phlebotomy, dermatology, audiology assessments, and endoscopy, supporting all three shifts outlined in the forthcoming 10 Year Health Plan.

Delivered by NHS Property Services (NHSPS) in partnership with NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board (LLR ICB) and University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL), the state-of-the-art facility is the first of its kind in Leicestershire.

Paul Jones, regional capital project lead at NHSPS, said: “It’s fantastic to have delivered this vital community facility on our site in an accessible location so close to the town centre.

“This new building will provide a step-change in the quality and variety of care that the NHS is able to provide for the people of Hinckley and the wider area.

“By supporting earlier diagnosis, improving access to care closer to home, and helping modernise NHS infrastructure, this CDC directly contributes to the three key shifts outlined in the Government’s vision for the NHS. Our team is also looking forward to providing facilities management services for the building going forward.”

Cutting the ribbon to mark the official opening of the facility, Dr Luke Evans, MP for Hinckley and Bosworth, added: “This is a historic day for Hinckley’s health provision as we open the next chapter of healthcare right in the heart of our town.

“We all know what an improvement this local facility will make to people’s lives as they won’t need to travel into Leicester or over to the George Eliot for things like MRI or CT scans, ultrasounds, endoscopy appointments, X-Rays, and blood tests.

“I’m so pleased to have worked with our local NHS to secure the funding and play my part in making this long-awaited investment a reality for our community.

“This will be truly transformative to people and families across Hinckley and Bosworth.”

The building spans approximately 2,000sq m and is equipped to perform up to 89,000 tests annually.

It was constructed by Darwin Group using innovative offsite modular building techniques, enabling faster delivery and reduced environmental impact compared to traditional construction methods.

The project was made possible through a £24.6m investment from NHS England’s national programme to expand CDCs in community settings across the country.

Dr Jess Sokolov, regional medical director of NHS England in the Midlands, said: “Providing more-convenient access to diagnostic testing is a key part of the national Elective Reform Plan, and we have already seen how much people in the Midlands benefit from direct referral from their local doctor to an expanded range of scans and tests on their doorstep.

“This is an exciting time for local people in Hinckley as they will be able to access high-quality NHS diagnostic services faster, and closer to home.”