Published on 14 April 2026
Cancer patients in Liverpool will be able to have faster and more convenient tests, checks and scans after the government confirmed funding to enhance services at a Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC).
CDCs are local hubs that provide patients – including cancer patients – with access to a wide range of tests, including MRIs, CT scans and ultrasounds. They are located in convenient community settings – from high streets and retail parks to leisure centres – and many are open 12 hours a day, seven days a week, so patients can access tests closer to where they live, without needing to travel to hospital.
Paddington CDC in Liverpool, run by The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust, is one of 15 across the country that will receive enhancements to boost diagnostic capacity and get patients seen quicker. Patients will start to see the benefits of the upgrade from this year meaning people can access a greater range of tests at Paddington, reducing the need to travel to hospital.
Dr Michael Gregory, Regional Medical Director for the NHS in the North West, said: “By bringing high-quality care closer to home, we’re ensuring patients receive the support they need at the right time.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “Thanks to this government’s investment and modernisation, the NHS delivered a record number of tests and scans last year. But there’s still a long way to go before we’re catching disease on time.
“The NHS should fit around people’s lives, not require patients to fit their lives around the NHS. Community Diagnostic Centres mean patients can get tests, checks and scans while they’re doing their shopping on the weekend or on the way to pick up the kids from school – without travelling across town to a hospital.”
The government has announced new investment in 36 new and expanded CDCs across England. The 36 centres, backed by a £237 million government investment, will significantly boost NHS diagnostic capacity and deliver more care in local communities.
The funding is part of the extra £26 billion a year this government is investing in the NHS, which has already helped the NHS in England conduct a record 29 million tests and scans in England last year.