Community Diagnostic Centres in Lincolnshire Engagement

Over the past five years, demand for diagnostic services in England has risen at a greater rate than increases in its capacity.

Diagnostics are recognised as a priority in the NHS Long-Term Plan and is crucial in delivery of many key treatments. In Lincolnshire, we are developing Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) which will be crucial to ease these pressures and continue to diagnose patients quicker. CDCs will provide a broad range of elective diagnostic services located away from the main acute hospitals, providing easier and quicker access to tests and greater convenience to patients, as well as relieving pressure on the main hospitals by reducing outpatient referrals and attendances.

The Grantham CDC opened to patients in April 2022 and has since been expanded to offer MRI and CT scanning. Patients can see the new building on the Grantham CDC site by clicking this link ULHT Community Diagnostics Centre (mpembed.com)

Planning permission has also been granted during March 2024 for the development of CDCs in Lincoln and Skegness.

Community Diagnostic Centre services in Lincolnshire are run by United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust. For more information about the services available click here Community Diagnostics Centres – United Lincolnshire Hospitals (ulh.nhs.uk)

Following the onset of the CDC programme we followed a robust process of involvement. Our patients, public, staff and stakeholders have been involved throughout the programme with their views and feedback shaping the principles and future options for the development of CDCs in Lincolnshire.

Our engagement for this programme was spread over three phases and is underpinned by an ongoing patient experience survey that has enabled a continuing process of developing relationships and partnerships so that the voice of local people and partners are heard, and their feedback considered. Our dialogue happened early on in the process, with our plans shared at the earliest possible stages.

  • Phase 1

    Role of involvement

    • To understand what is most important to the public when providing community diagnostic centres and what the benefits and concerns are for them, so that we can mitigate these in the future. 

    • Sought feedback on the perceived patient benefits and challenges of our first CDC in Grantham.

    Outcomes

    • Feedback from phase 1 shaped the development of options for locations of future CDCs that we then tested with stakeholders, patients, and the public as part of the second phase of engagement.
    • Fully engaged Programme Board and stakeholders who recognised the importance of patient involvement.
  • Phase 2

    Role of involvement

    • To ensure stakeholders and the public are aware of future plans in Lincolnshire as well as being given the opportunity to shape them and identify preference of future locations.

    Outcomes

    • Feedback from phase 2 was considered by system clinical leads, partners as well as the CDC board to inform the CDC2 business case.

    • Patients influenced the location of the second CDC in Skegness.

    • Stakeholders kept fully informed and involved through further discussions and engagement.
  • Phase 3

    Role of involvement

    • To understand the barriers and challenges faced by marginalised groups and people living in areas of deprivation along the East Coast when accessing diagnostic services and what impact this has.

    • Development of co-production workshops with patients with lived experience.

    • Review of patient experience data, action planning and monitoring via the CDC co-production group.

    Outcomes

    • Listened to experiences and stories of care and treatment received.

    • Walk through of the patient journey to identify opportunities for improvement.

    • Review of patient experience engagement findings and action planning.

    • Decision to include specific services at CDC2 due to feedback received from the public.
Opening of our first Community Diagnostic Centre in Grantham
Opening of our first Community Diagnostic Centre in Grantham.

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Important links
Plans for Community Diagnostic Centres across Lincolnshire
Important dates
Phase 3:
October 2022 – April 2024
Phase 2:
April – July 2022
Phase 1:
Jan – February 2022

Final report

The findings of this engagement will inform the service.

Closed

Phase 3 engagement is closed for contributions.

If you would like this information in an alternative format, please email us at licb.involveus@nhs.net.