Paddington CDC - which is run by The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre on behalf of the NHS across Cheshire and Merseyside - has delivered well over 40,000 additional tests and scans for the NHS since opening in July 2023. Its range of services includes CT, MRI and ultrasound scans along with blood tests and it is helping hospitals across Cheshire and Merseyside to reduce their waiting lists for these important diagnostic tests.
This means patients referred for tests to check for a wide range of health conditions including lung, gastrointestinal (i.e. stomach and digestion), and musculoskeletal problems can be diagnosed and get any treatment they need much sooner - or, conversely, be reassured that their tests have shown they don't have the serious health condition they were worrying about.
People can feel very anxious when they are referred for tests and scans. The Paddington CDC team take great care to provide every patient with the right support and information, and the feedback on the service is overwhelmingly positive. Patients having scans can choose the lighting, music and visuals they prefer to help them relax and feel more comfortable while on the machine.
The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre is the first specialist cancer hospital to step outside its main arena by offering a general diagnostics service like this, in recognition of the importance that diagnostic tests and scans play in ensuring every patient receives the very best care from the NHS.
The NHS England article also mentioned Clatterbridge Diagnostics, a partnership between The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre and Wirral University Teaching Hospital (WUTH), which was one of the first CDCs in England when it opened in 2021 on the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre - Wirral site. It is managed by WUTH.
Michelle Moody, Radiology Operational Site Manager at Paddington CDC, said:
We are incredibly proud of Paddington Community Diagnostic Centre and the role it plays in helping people in Cheshire and Merseyside to access vital tests and scans more easily. Patients tell us they really value the service and find it quick and convenient to be able to have tests like these outside a busy hospital setting. We are pleased to be one of the 25 CDCs across Cheshire and Merseyside.
