Construction work has begun to transform a vacant site at St Margaret’s Hospital in Epping into a new Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC).

Preparation work is underway on the site as part of plans by The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) to provide quicker and more-convenient access to diagnostic tests close to patients’ homes.

The trust has appointed contractor, Morgan Sindall, to carry out the works, which began with establishing the site boundary at the Spencer Close location.

NHS Property Services (NHSPS) is the landlord of St Margarets Hospital and this strategic move not only reduces void costs by utilising otherwise-disused areas, but also represents a significant investment in the existing site.

And the initiative supports NHSPS’s broader goal of unlocking value across the NHS estate.

Michael Meredith, director of strategy and estates at PAHT, said: “We are excited for construction to begin on our Community Diagnostic Centre at St Margaret’s Hospital and are looking forward to our vision taking shape in the coming months.

“The CDC will enhance patient experience by enabling our patients to be seen more quickly and closer to their homes, providing modern, integrated, outstanding healthcare to support our community.”

Ryan Liversage, area director for Morgan Sindall Construction in Essex, added: “We’re delighted to be getting started onsite at St Margaret’s Hospital as this is a key milestone in the creation of a facility that will bring a wide range of vital healthcare benefits to the local area.

“Thanks to a close, collaborative relationship with The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust and the ProCure 23 (P23) procurement framework, we’ve developed a design and a construction process tailored to the needs of the hospital’s staff and the Epping community.”