Northern Ireland headquartered contractor, Henry Brothers Construction, has been appointed to build the new Broad Marsh Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) in Nottingham.
The scheme has reached a significant milestone with enabling work due to start at the city centre site on Lister Gate at the end of this month (July).
This key stage in the programme follows the formal signing of contracts between Homes England – the new landlords of the site – and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) – who will run and staff the centre.
The new NHS facility is one of a number of CDCs being funded by the Department for Health and Social Care, which aim to improve population health outcomes and efficiency, as well as reduce waiting times and health inequalities.
Ian Taylor, MD of Henry Brothers Construction, said: “Henry Brothers Construction is proud to have been appointed as part of the team delivering the new Community Diagnostic Centre which is being created in the heart of the Broad Marsh regeneration development in the centre of Nottingham.
“Henry Brothers has wide experience of delivering exciting public sector schemes in the health sector and we look forward to working closely with Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust to develop this CDC which will play an important role in reducing the backlog of patients waiting for diagnostic tests.”
Arup are the structural and civil engineers on the scheme, which has been designed by Leonard Design.
CDCs have been designed to be a ‘one-stop shop’ to support Nottingham’s clinicians and patients by providing direct access to diagnostics services such as MRI, CT, x-ray, ultrasound, echocardiography, ECG, and lung function testing in a facility nearer to home rather than in an acute hospital setting. This allows for more rapid diagnosis of conditions such as cancer, which in turn will help patients access the life-saving treatments they need more quickly.
Health Minister Karin Smyth commented: “The Broad Marsh Community Diagnostic Centre will make a real difference to patients, delivering faster diagnoses and helping reduce waiting times, all closer to home.
“Its location, in Nottingham City Centre, will make getting tests, checks or scans simpler and more convenient, something we’re replicating across the country through centres like this one.
“By bringing vital healthcare services into the community, we’re making diagnosis and treatment more accessible for everyone. Thanks to the investment and reform our plan for Change is delivering, the government is cutting waiting times and building an NHS fit for the future.”
Over the last year, the Broad Marsh CDC project team has been working with both the old and new landlords of the city site – Nottingham City Council and Homes England – on design approval.
The complexity of the site, including its connection to the main Broad Marsh centre structure, and the existence of asbestos, has meant a longer design and evaluation period. Now that contracts are in place it means that enabling works can begin shortly, with Henry Brothers Construction appointed to lead on the build.
NUH’s Deputy Medical Director, Mark Simmonds, added: “We have been working very hard with our partners over the last year to get us into this position of readiness, and we are really excited to have reached this key stage in the development.
“Earlier diagnosis is better for everyone, and this centre will be vital in reducing the number of people in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire waiting longer for diagnostic tests. It will also enable patients to access these tests in a community setting without needing to travel to a hospital.”
Amanda Sullivan, Chief Executive at NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, added:
“Our CDC will not only help to improve the health of the local population and meet the growing demand for diagnostic services, but it will also help free up capacity in our hospitals, providing a better patient experience for many more people across our hospital sites.”
The Broad Marsh CDC has been conveniently located near to the new Broad Marsh bus station and car park and is a short walk from the train station and tram stop. Disabled parking is also available nearby. While construction is in progress, NUH will continue to provide community-based diagnostics tests behind NEMS Platform One, near the Nottingham Railway Station.
