Community diagnostic centres were introduced into the English NHS in 2021 as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in England.
Sir Mike Richards conducted a review of diagnostic services as part of the NHS Long Term Plan and this was one of his recommendations.
[1] MRI scanners, ultrasound, X-ray, breast screening, phlebotomy and bone density scans are available services.
Some are in community settings such as shopping centres and football stadiums, but some are actually on hospital or GP surgery sites.
[2] In April 2022, 73 centres were operating, said to be providing 30,000 additional tests a week, and the aspiration was to have 160 CDCs up and running by 2025.