Praise for 'much-needed' medical centre set to transform healthcare in Mansfield

The CDC would be built next to Mansfield Community Hospital after Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, was granted permission to demolish the disused and derelict Victoria Hospital buildings on the site off Stockwell Gate, clearing the way for the CDC development.

And an application has now been lodged with Mansfield Council, the local planning authority, seeking permission for the new centre, which is designed to house a ‘one-stop shop’ for patients to access the tests and investigations they need in a single visit.

The project will see up to £20 million invested into the Mansfield community and, if all goes to plan, health chiefs hope to have the site built and opened by autumn 2024.

Dr James Thomas, SFH director of clinical services, said: “We’re going to have the full range of diagnostic services on the new site, that is radiology, CT, MRI and x-ray.

“We’re going to have a cardio-respiratory unit for heart scans, lung tests and a huge endoscopy unit on the first floor for upper and lower endosopys.

“This is for diagnosing cancers and a host of other diseases as well.

“We know the faster we get to a diagnosis with any of these things, the faster we can get the patient on the correct treatment and the better outcome that patient will have in terms of quality of life and a longer life.

“This will be huge for health in Mansfield and Nottinghamshire and it will be the largest expansion in diagnostic services Sherwood Forest Hospitals has ever seen.”

And it will not just be health benefits the new CDC will bring to Mansfield.

David Ainsworth, SFHT director of strategy and partnerships, said: “We know that for local people, this is going to create in excess of 160 jobs.

“We want local people to work in this centre and the builders who are going to be building this want local people to build it.

“We will have all sorts of job offers available from portering and cleaning to reception and admin and people like sonographers and radiologists and all those roles that do x-rays and take scans as well so there will be a whole breadth of opportunities."

Several local people came to the open day and were all in favour of the new project.

Ann Adams, from Mansfield, said: “I think the plans are really encouraging and it’s really good to see some good news for the area.

"The quicker diagnoses and the referral process will be really positive.

“The population is growing in this area and it’s a deprived area so a good project like this, what more do you want?”

Rob Hurd, from Rainworth, said: “This is much needed and it will make it easier for people to get a diagnosis and make a difference to their lives by finding the diagnosis sooner and that’s got to be a good thing.

“It’s good that it’s going on the site of the old Victoria Hospital and making use of that too.

“This was severely needed because it will help with the backlog of patients waiting for a diagnosis and delivers the service in a quicker time.”