Royal praise for Community Diagnostic Centre

The Duke of Edinburgh visited Barnsley Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) this week as part of a tour of regenerated and transformed town sites. These included the Alhambra Shopping Centre where a further ‘health and wellbeing hub’ is being developed.

On arrival at the CDC, Prince Edward met Dr Richard Jenkins, Chief Executive of Barnsley NHS Foundation Trust, and Bob Kirton, Managing Director of Barnsley NHS Foundation Trust.

Bob Kirton escorted His Royal Highness (HRH) to the centre’s CT/Radiographer facilities and presented the Prince to Mohammed Abdullahi, CT Radiographer, who gave an overview of facilities available. Dr Jenkins then escorted HRH to the first floor of the CDC and introduced breast radiographers Liz Elfleet and Lisa Brammah. They provided an overview of the CDC’s breast-screening services.

Prince Edward heard about the CDC’s impressive results. The centre is second in the country for breast-screening uptake and first in the country for women who are being screened for the first time. Imaging manager Liz Elfleet added: “For ladies with learning disabilities, we are also proud that the screening uptake we have achieved is the same as the mainstream population.”

Liz said: “HRH was very impressed and interested. He listened to staff, spoke to some of the ladies who were waiting for breast-screening, and couldn’t speak highly enough of the CDC.”

Jack Wainwright, who works on reception at the CDC, said: “Prince Edward spoke to all of us on reception and we had a little joke about how we were ‘in control’ of things. He is very polite.

Leader of Barnsley Council Sir Stephen Houghton CBE presented the Prince to Wendy Lowder, Executive Director Place Health and Adult Social Care, who gave an overview of a new partnership with local organisations called ‘Health on the High Street.’ Ms Lowder also described the ‘Wellbeing Hub’ that will expand services and facilities at the Alhambra Shopping Centre for residents across Barnsley.

The CDC opened in March 2022. It offers various screening services and a CT and MRI scanner were installed last year. Today, with around 60,000 visitors annually, the CDC is significantly reducing the pandemic-related backlog at the hospital and has halved waiting times for DEXA and USS from six weeks to three as well as significantly reducing no-shows.

The hospital’s Dr Jenkins said the local NHS was honoured and delighted to welcome the Duke of Edinburgh: “The CDC, which received £2.8 million and £4.6 million from the national CDC programme across two phases, has improved patient experience immeasurably. Everyone knows where it is and it’s easy to navigate making attending for an appointment much simpler and less stressful than in hospital.”