Hundreds more NHS tests, checks and scans now available out-of-hours during evenings and weekends in Milton Keynes

Patients in MK can now access the crucial tests at evenings and weekends by travelling to the facility at Whitehouse Health Centre on the Whitehouse estate.

It is one of 10 CDCs launched by the region’s NHS in a bid to cut down waiting times and offer patients more convenience.

They are providing services 12 hours a day, seven days a week, with patients already benefitting from more flexible appointment times and shorter time waiting for diagnosis.

In just three months this year (April to June), CDCs in the region delivered almost 175,000 tests and scans (174,149). Almost 1.2 million (1,190,545) tests and scans have now been done since CDCs first started opening in 2021, a figure set to grow as more CDCs offer out-of-hour services in evenings and weekends to fit around patients’ busy working lives.

Building on this success, another seven CDCs are planned to become fully operational in the region within the next 12 months.

CDCs are based at the heart of communities, operating from convenient settings like shopping centres and local hospitals, so patients can fit their care into their daily routines. Many centres also offer free parking to make care as accessible as possible.

Milton Keynes MPs have praised the new Whitehouse facility, saying it means patients no longer need to choose between their job and vital health appointments. It comes as part of the Labour Government’s Plan for Change, transforming healthcare and making the NHS fit for the future.

Adam Cayley, Regional Chief Operating Officer for NHS East of England, said: “Community Diagnostic Centres are all about making life easier for patients, and bringing down waiting lists.

“Access to vital tests, checks and scans at CDCs can be quicker and more convenient for people, fitting in around their busy lives. Extending opening times to evenings and weekends will make faster diagnosis even easier, and help us tackle health inequalities in our communities across the region.”

Community diagnostic centres are a pivotal part of the Labour’s Plan for Change to transform care, moving it out of hospital and into the community.

By speeding up diagnosis and treatment, the government is reducing pressure on overwhelmed hospitals and putting patients at ease faster.

And through developer contributions, the city’s Labour Council has been able to invest over £12m in the centre, demonstrating how growth is paying for vital infrastructure in the Milton Keynes.”

Labour’s MP for Milton Keynes North, Chris Curtis, said “I’m delighted that these new changes will make it easier for people in our city to access care at times more convenient for them - whether that’s young professionals trying to fit appointments around building a career, or busy working parents juggling employment and caring for a family with their own health. Changes like these make a real difference to people’s lives.”

He added, “When I became an MP for my home of Milton Keynes last year, I said it was my number one priority to get our broken NHS back on its feet. While we still have a long way to go, this, alongside other steps like securing funding for a new Women and Children’s Hospital, is making that happen.”