Woking Community Hospital has received planning consent to further develop a community diagnostic centre at the hospital site.

Currently, residents of Woking need to travel to Ashford, Camberley, Guildford, or Chertsey for the majority of diagnostic outpatient appointments.

But this new development will offer a local centre, preventing the need for 30,000 hospital visits outside of Woking every year and providing residents with a vibrant and modern health facility.

The planning consent will enable Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to complement the  range of diagnostic services already provided at Woking Community Hospital which include X-ray, paediatric audiology, adult audiology, ophthalmology, dermatology, bone density (dexa) scanning, and ultrasound, with cardiac testing and respiratory testing opening shortly.

The development of a building extension connected to the current hospital will also offer computerised tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as well as expanding the ultrasound capacity and enabling improved access for the mobile breast screening unit.

Jack Wagstaff, place leader of North West Surrey Alliance, said: “This project is part of an NHS-wide expansion of diagnostic services and wider community diagnostic hub programme across Surrey Heartlands, and we are delighted to be able to progress our plans at Woking Community Hospital, helping to reduce waiting times and expedite treatment for people across North West Surrey.’

The centre is funded by NHS England and will be developed in collaboration with CSH Surrey, primary care providers, Alliance Medical, and partners operating out of Woking Community Hospital.