Ground broken as work begins on new £10m community diagnostic centre in Wigan borough

A ceremonial event was held to mark the breaking of ground for the CDC at Leigh Infirmary.

Appointed contractor Carefoot started work on the site, set to be completed in 12 months, following planning permission being granted in September.

The new development is just one part of Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s (WWL) programme of investment into patient services at Leigh Infirmary, to expand on and provide a modern one-stop-shop diagnostics and healthcare facility.

The work to build the additional theatre, alongside the CDC scheme, will create a new surgical hub facility to expand the range of procedures which can be undertaken at Leigh Infirmary, which health chiefs say will be fantastic news for WWL patients and the surrounding area.

WWL Chair Mark Jones was joined by Leigh MP James Grundy at the ground-breaking ceremony, alongside, representatives from Carefoot and architecture partners, Gilling Dod.

Mr Jones said: “This is such an important milestone in the progress we’re making on the Leigh site. Around £20m has been invested here over the past year and it is certainly great news for our patients across the borough.”

Mr Grundy said: “This year has been incredible for Leigh Infirmary, with the development of the Jean Heyes Reablement Unit and now the CDC and theatre scheme.

“This is such an important development for local people and, for my own family, as we have, and will continue to, use Leigh Infirmary and its facilities for decades.

“I would like to say to everyone who has played their part in making this a reality, both as an MP and a local resident of Leigh, thank you very much.”

WWL was named as one of 13 funding recipients for a regional £130.3m surgical hub scheme across the North West that will help to provide over 137,800 additional procedures and appointments a year for patients in the region waiting for treatment.

It will provide a range of diagnostic checks, scans and tests closer to home, including X-rays, CT and MRI scans, ultrasound, electrocardiogram heart monitoring tests, blood pressure monitoring, sleep studies and phlebotomy.

CDCs reduce the number of hospital visits and cut waiting times for patients by diverting people away from hospitals such as the trust’s Wigan Infirmary site, so staff can focus on treating urgent patients while the diagnostic centres focus on tackling the backlog for tests and checks.

The Government aims to open 160 centres across the country by 2025 to deliver nine million tests, checks and scans a year, with the programme backed by £2.3bn of diagnostics investment.

Alan Thompson, Carefoot contracts director, said: “We are very happy for the opportunity to be working with Wrightington Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust once again.

"Having been liaising with the team for a number of weeks in the lead up to the start on site, it has proven so far to be a very positive and collaborative approach, which will no doubt lend itself to a successful project for all concerned.”