This week, we had the honour of hosting an important event at the Interim Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) at Livingstone Community Hospital, with the distinguished visit of Professor Sir Mike Richards.
Professor Sir Mike Richards, a consultant medical oncologist and the first National Cancer Director at the Department of Health, led the review of diagnostic services, recommending a major expansion of diagnostic capacity and a new model of service delivery. The CDC concept was proposed by him in 2020.
The North Kent Community Diagnostic Centre offers a comprehensive array of state-of-the-art diagnostic services, including CT and MRI scans, and cardiac physiology measurements to patients throughout Dartford. This interim solution is a critical step towards the full realisation of the CDC, which is set to open in its permanent facility in the spring of 2025.
"We are thrilled to see this project come to fruition and to welcome Sir Mike Richards to formally open this unit." said Steve Fenlon, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust. "The interim CDC is a testament to our commitment to providing exceptional diagnostics services to our community. We look forward to the completion of the permanent facility."
Stuart Hortop, Senior Strategy Manager for NHS Property Services, said: “We have delivered a number of CDCs across the country since their inception, bringing improved access and availability to diagnostic services for thousands of patients, so it’s fantastic to meet Prof Sir Mike, one of the academic and clinical minds behind the concept. We look forward to the project completion and working with our partners and NHS colleagues to ensure the outcomes are to the highest standards, providing long term healthcare for the local community for years to come.”
The event was a collaborative effort involving Compleo Health Ltd., Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust, and NHS Property Services. It was attended by key stakeholders responsible for ensuring the success of the CDC.