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Celebration as the Newmarket Community Diagnostic Centre formally opens
The new, state-of-the-art Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) at the Newmarket Community Hospital has been formally opened at an event on Friday, 2 May 2025.
The £15m healthcare facility, which began seeing its first patients in December 2024, represents a significant milestone in the West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust’s (WSFT) efforts to develop the Newmarket Community Hospital site. In its first 100 days, the facility saw more than 6,000 patients and completed almost 8,900 examinations.
This new purpose-built facility provides patients living in the west of the region with quicker and faster access to a wide range of tests, such as MRI, CT, X-ray and ultrasound, as well as lung and heart scans.
With improved access to tests, waiting times have been reduced significantly. For CT, in November 2024, the Trust had 832 patients waiting for their scan with an estimated wait of 12 weeks. As of April 2025, the waiting list has reduced by more than half to 410 patients, who will be seen within four weeks. Additionally, for MRI, between November 2024 and April 2025 the waiting list has been reduced by 37%, with patients now due to wait 11 weeks instead of 17 weeks.
Joined by members of staff from the Trust working at the CDC, alongside project leads and partners, the ribbon was cut by the Trust’s chief executive, Dr Ewen Cameron, and the MP for West Suffolk, Nick Timothy.
The CDC expands the Trust’s diagnostic capabilities, with the additional MRI and CT scanners producing some of the highest quality images in the region at rapid speed. Additionally, to meet the needs of all members of the community, extensive engagement took place with the public, patients and staff on the décor of the interior and exterior of the building. Inside and out, the building has been decorated so that it is a relaxing and tranquil space which reflects the landscape and proud horseracing heritage of Newmarket.
Claire Moore, WSFT MRI service manager, said: “We have invested significantly in our MRI and CT equipment, keeping us at the forefront of technology, and with the use of AI, faster scans are possible with greater detail. Patient experience is also supported by the facility’s calming interiors, helping our patients relax while they undergo their scan, which can cause stress and anxiety.”
Libby Tett, WSFT ultrasound service manager, said: “The CDC is a wonderful facility, where parents-to-be come and experience those special moments on their journey to welcoming their newborn into the world. I am really pleased that they can do that in this new, purpose-built facility which offers an enhanced experience for our patients and service users.”
Members of staff at the CDC are made up of existing Trust colleagues, as well as those who have joined from within and outside the healthcare sector. These include local people who completed the West Suffolk Community Diagnostics Training Academy, which provided them with the skills and experience required to begin a career in NHS diagnostics.
The academy, delivered in partnership with West Suffolk College in Bury St Edmunds, took place over 12 weeks, culminating in a guaranteed job interview for a position at the CDC. Participants in the academy required no previous experience or qualifications, making it the perfect option for those looking for their first career or even a career change.
From the 38 participants in the academy, two are now working at the CDC with two others working elsewhere in the Trust, four have found employment elsewhere in local NHS organisations, such as primary care, and 12 have found employment elsewhere. 17 others are currently in active job seeking, with another undertaking further education.
Chief executive for the Trust Dr Ewen Cameron said: “This is just one example of how we are working to deliver a sustainable model of healthcare, which will help us provide the care our patients deserve now, and in the future.
“I am absolutely delighted that the CDC has been formally opened, and the positive impact it is already having is significant. This facility is helping us deliver high quality, timely care for our patients, bringing down waiting times and ensuring faster diagnosis and treatment for the communities we serve. I’m proud the training academy has provided job opportunities for local people supporting economic development and that this facility will help us reduce health inequalities in the region. Thank you to all colleagues involved in developing this fantastic space and running our services from it.”
Nick Timothy, MP for West Suffolk said: “"It's wonderful to have this impressive new facility opening in Newmarket. I saw the centre being built last year and was greatly impressed with the thought, care and work that has gone into it. It has been completed with the latest in modern techniques and technologies. Now local residents are able to get health checks, scans and tests done closer to home in a quick and convenient way."
To help the Trust meet the NHS 2040 net zero targets, the CDC was designed and built using low-carbon prefabricated materials, as well as incorporating sustainable methods of construction. These include neutralising the water used in concrete production with specialist equipment, reducing the building energy use through modern design and building techniques, and offsetting further energy use with renewable sources. During the construction phase, 238 tons of carbon was saved, which is the equivalent of heating more than 88 houses for one year.
Both the CDC and the main Newmarket Community Hospital building have been fitted with more than 120 solar panels, which contribute towards a minimum of 46% of the building’s energy requirements. This is also supported by a ground source heat pump, which provides heating and cooling for the building year-round.
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