The Mid and South Essex (MSE) NHS Foundation Trust in the UK has announced the official commencement of the building phase and works on the new Braintree Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC).
These works, which started on 31 August 2024, represent a significant advancement in the development of this essential facility.
Upon completion, the new CDC will provide a wide range of services such as CT and MRI scans, X-rays, blood tests, and additional diagnostic procedures.
It is being constructed on the St Michael’s site, which is situated next to the William Julien Courtauld (WJC) Birthing Centre in Braintree, Essex, UK.
According to MSE NHS Foundation Trust, the construction effort will necessitate some minor adjustments to the services provided at the WJC Birthing Centre.
However, the WJC will remain operational for births and postnatal care during the construction phase.
To reduce any inconvenience for women as well as birthing people, antenatal and outpatient appointments will be temporarily relocated to the nearby Braintree Community Hospital.
The construction is anticipated to culminate within the next 12 months.
Once finished, services such as maternity outpatient care, phlebotomy, and all the diagnostic facilities, including CT scans, X-rays, and MRIs, will resume.
This development will benefit the local community by making diagnostic testing more accessible.
Commenting on the latest milestone, MSE NHS Foundation Trust chief executive Matthew Hopkins said: “This is good news for the local community and brings us a step closer to providing diagnostic tests closer to home.
“We have already progressed well with the Thurrock CDC, and plans for Pitsea are well developed. With Southend’s independent provider about to be announced in the autumn, it means that by 2026 we will have four centres across mid and south Essex which will speed up tests and help to reduce waiting times.”
The initial announcement to establish the Braintree CDC was made by the Trust in February 2023.
In March this year, the MSE NHS Foundation Trust started the construction of a new CDC in Thurrock, Essex, which is expected to open later this year.
