HEALTH SECTOR NEWS
New Yeovil diagnostic centre opens
NHS patients in east Somerset and west Dorset are set to benefit from faster access to diagnostic tests and outpatient appointments following the opening of the Yeovil Diagnostic Centre.
Developed by Prime plc in
partnership with Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, the new three-storey, 2,687m² facility is located next to Yeovil District Hospital and will provide more than 70,000 diagnostic tests and outpatient appointments each year. Open seven days a week, the centre offers MRI, CT, ultrasound and X-ray, alongside outpatient consultations, treatment facilities, ECHO, ECG, endoscopy and adult and paediatric audiology testing. By moving a range of diagnostics into a dedicated environment, the centre is intended to free up capacity within the acute hospital for more complex care. Radiology and endoscopy services will be delivered by InHealth, while the Trust will provide all other diagnostic and outpatient services. The building has been designed
Energy-as-a- service provider secures first multi- site contract
eEnergy, an energy-as- a-service provider, has secured its first Energy Performance Contract (EPC) with Symphony Healthcare Services Limited, part of Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. The contract, valued at around
with a strong sustainability focus, achieving BREEAM Excellent certification and incorporating measures such as roof-mounted solar PV, air-source heat pumps, and sustainable drainage systems. Phil Holland, Chief Investment Officer at Prime, said: “The facility is a testament to the collaborative work between Prime, the Trust, InHealth, Darwin, M&G and all the organisations who contributed to its design, development and construction. The completion of the Yeovil Diagnostic Centre reinforces Prime’s commitment to delivering innovative, high-quality healthcare infrastructure
that meets the evolving needs of patients and healthcare providers and aligns with national strategy.” Jonathan Ockrim, consultant
colorectal surgeon and clinical lead for the centre, commented: “The modern, state-of-the-art centre will further enhance patient experience, and will help reduce waiting times for a range of core services, ultimately meaning a much improved service for our patients.”
Nick Dawe, Managing director
at Darwin Group, added: “Reducing waiting times and improving access to timely diagnostics is one of the most pressing challenges facing the NHS.”
Huddersfield University to open £11m mental health centre
The University of Huddersfield is set to launch a new research centre aimed at improving mental health research capacity and support in the local area, following an £11m award from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The Centre for Equity in Mental Health (CEMH) will open in April 2026. The funding, the largest to date for the University’s School of Human and Health Sciences, spans
five years and comes from the highly competitive NIHR Mental Health Research Groups programme. The centre will focus on
addressing challenges identified in Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield, including long waiting times for appointments, inaccessible services, inappropriate referrals, and limited signposting to charities and voluntary organisations. CEMH will partner with University
of Liverpool experts Professors Mark Gabbay and Dan Joyce, drawing on expertise in health inequalities, large-scale datasets, AI, and co-produced research with patients and the public. The centre will also collaborate with M-RIC and the Liverpool Clinical Trials Centre for future trials. South West Yorkshire Partnership Teaching NHS Foundation Trust will be the lead NHS partner. The initiative aims to position
the University of Huddersfield as a national leader in mental health
20 Health Estate Journal March 2026
research, while addressing local service challenges and increasing research capacity across the region. Professor Ann Caress, Professor of Health Services Research, said: “Mental health matters… The funding from NIHR is both important and greatly valued, as it will be transformative for mental health research and service delivery across Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield.” Professor Michael Doyle,
Professor of Mental Health Research, added: “We are excited to be working with the NIHR Mental Health Research Groups team, our collaborators in the NIHR Centre for Equity in Mental Health and our many partners across Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield over the next five years. This collaboration will help develop innovative, applied mental health research rooted in the lived experiences of local communities.”
£700,000, will fund LED lighting upgrades across 18 GP surgeries in Somerset. The EPC, backed
by Redaptive, allows eEnergy to install energy- saving systems with zero upfront cost. Customers pay for the equipment through energy savings rather than initial investment, while eEnergy retains operational responsibility for the installed equipment. The funding model, a first of its
kind in the UK, is designed to help NHS organisations navigate recent IFRS accounting rule changes and overcome barriers to adopting energy-efficient technologies. It is available to all organisations, with a focus on public sector applications including on-site generation and energy transition projects. Harvey Sinclair, CEO of
eEnergy, said: “The challenge is unlocking fast delivery without consuming scarce capital or creating unwanted balance-sheet complexity. While Great British Energy is expected to support projects across the UK healthcare and education sectors, many NHS Trusts remain constrained in accessing at pace proven technologies such as LED lighting, Solar PV, and EV charging. Our EPC solution is designed to address this gap and remove barriers faced by NHS organisations. “At eEnergy, we are constantly exploring new and innovative ways to help organisations accelerate their Net Zero journey. This new solution strengthens our ability to deliver energy-saving projects without incurring upfront cost, helping more clients reduce consumption, cut costs, and achieve their sustainability goals.”
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