New health centre in Bradford aims to cut NHS waiting list

  • Video report by Hannah Norbury

It's hoped a new health centre will help tackle the NHS waiting list and health inequalities.

In December 2023, more than 13,000 people living in Bradford District and Craven were waiting for diagnostic tests with 27 percent waiting six weeks or more. 

The community diagnostic centre in Eccleshill in Bradford, which aims to reduce waiting times and improve access to treatment, is the first of its kind for West Yorkshire.

The centre is fitted with MRI and CT scanners. Credit: ITV News

Across Bradford District and Craven, the difference in life expectancy between the most and least deprived areas is up to 10 years, with many premature deaths of heart disease and cancer in some deprived areas noticeably higher.

Ash Isherwood, a radiologist said: "The earlier diagnosis means the patient can get early monitoring, which means health inequalities should be reduced."

Patients can come for diagnostic tests at the centre, which is equipped with technology including MRI, X-Ray and CT scanners to enable a range of tests to be carried out.

The aim is to give patients results within 7 days to allow earlier diagnosis and monitoring.

13,000 people in the area are currently waiting for tests Credit: ITV

Thomas Mckeown, 64, came to the centre for a CT, after having major surgery five months ago.He said: "You go to hospital they say 2, 3 weeks later and they send it back to your doctors. Seven days, that's alright isn't it?

"I just hope everything is ok."

The centre will allow people to access tests quicker, especially while junior doctors strikes are on-going.

Mel Pickup, chief Executive at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and lead for Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership, said: "What this will help us do is mitigating the impact of that.

"There are ways we can work more flexibly and can extend operating hours, there is a rate limiting factor however and that is the number of CT scanners, the number of MRI scanners."

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