MP for Epping Forest, Dr Neil Hudson, has successfully campaigned and secured Government commitment for the establishment of the new Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) at St Margaret's Hospital in Epping.
Known as the West Essex CDC, the site will embrace new technologies and deliver vital tests, checks and scans in order to identify and treat diseases such as cancer and heart disease earlier. CDCs make medical tests quick and easy - proving pivotal in ensuring speedy diagnoses and saving lives.
It will be fully operational from November 2025 and may include capacity for MRI and CT scanning equipment, X-ray, audiology and endoscopy, as well as respiratory tests and phlebotomy services.
The previous Conservative Government rolled out the Community Diagnostic Centre Programme, which massively bolstered the nation's CDCs with 160 sites earmarked for delivering activity. This included Epping's CDC which had capital investment committed to building new premises.
This commitment was backed by part of a £2.3 billion investment - the largest cash investment in MRI and CT scanning capacity in the history of the NHS. However, the Labour Government put all this progress at risk with their cross-governmental Spending Review which looks set to halt major Government investments in everything from new hospitals and roads to day-to-day Departmental spending.
Since then, Dr Hudson, has championed St Margaret's and put pressure on the new Labour administration, from the Prime Minister down, to back Conservative spending and improve patient outcomes in Epping Forest.
As such Dr Hudson has spoken in Parliament, tabled Parliamentary Questions, and written to Ministers consistently throughout his campaign.
The previous Conservative Government had also committed to rebuilds of both Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone and Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, and a new Community Diagnostic Centre at St Margaret’s, as part of its Hospital Rebuilding and Community Diagnostics Programmes.
However, in the same letter from the Department of Health and Social Care, Ministers also confirmed to Dr Hudson that Whipps Cross and Princess Alexandra - which are both relied upon by Dr Hudson's constituents - are in scope of Labour's Spending Review which threatens funding that would have been dedicated to rebuilding their premises.
Dr Hudson has committed to holding Labour to account and delivering for local people.
Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Epping Forest, said:
"Early diagnosis and treatment are critical to improved patient outcomes, cutting waiting lists and reducing the pressures on our precious NHS. For an area such as ours this is exactly what we need and exactly what a new Community Diagnostic Centre in Epping will provide.
"We Conservatives made the largest central cash investment in MRI and CT capacity in the history of the NHS through the Community Diagnostic Centre Programme and I have fought tooth and nail to make sure Labour did not undo our progress with their ill-judged Spending Review.
"I'm delighted my campaigning for the Community Diagnostic Centre at St Margaret’s paid off and I will now keep pressing the Government until the site is fully operational next year.
"But there is still more to do - the hospital rebuilds at Whipps Cross and Princess Alexandra Hospitals have sadly fallen foul of Labour's Spending Review and could be put on ice for the foreseeable future. For the better healthcare outcomes for people in and around Epping Forest, it is so vital that these hospitals are renewed. I will keep going on this."
Responding directly to Dr Neil Hudson MP following his campaigning, Karin Smyth MP, Minister of State for Health, has now confirmed in writing to the Epping Forest MP:
"I can confirm that the new community diagnostic centre at St Margaret’s Hospital in Epping, which is not part of the New Hospital Programme, is live and currently expected to become fully operational from November next year. The scheme funding is in place and amounts to over £19million, with over £11million available for this financial year."
