Bedford Borough Council has confirmed that work is due to start “imminently” to create the new £24 million Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) and Primary Care Facilities at Bedford North Wing, on Kimbolton Road.
The project to transform Gilbert Hitchcock House into a CDC will begin later this month, offering a “one-stop shop” for diagnostic tests, checks and scans.
It is expected to be completed in 2026.
Read: MP welcomes new £23m health hub at Gilbert Hitchcock House
This is alongside a £4 million project to develop an Enhanced Services Centre (ESC) at North Wing, which will bring a number of GP practices and community services to the health village.
Councillor Martin Towler, Portfolio Holder for Public Health said: “This promises to offer a substantial boost to health services in Bedfordshire, meaning that patients can access potentially life-saving tests for a wide range of conditions more quickly and more easily.
“This sort of joined-up thinking is key to making healthcare a success in the 21st century, with different providers working together to provide the best possible care.
“North Wing is a site which many Bedfordians will hold close to their heart.
“I was born there myself, as were most of my children, so it’s great to have it remaining at the heart of healthcare in the Borough.”
The news was also welcomed by Bedford and Kempston MP, Mohammad Yasin (Labour).
He said: “I am pleased that progress continues to be made on a new community diagnostic centre and primary care facilities at the North Wing site.
“I have been campaigning for improved health services in Bedford and Kempston for years and I was delighted to report following my meeting with Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust leaders on 15 February that funding had been allocated for this welcome health infrastructure improvement.
“But we cannot stop here. We also need to get our state-of-the-art new inpatient mental health facility constructed on the North Wing site. We have the location and funding secured. We now need a Government that will give the green light to start construction.”
