COMMUNITY DIAGNOSTIC CENTRES
requirements going forward, prioritising practicality over architectural simplicity. Our experience suggests that hybrid
and traditionally constructed solutions often provide greater flexibility for complex clinical environments than highly standardised modular approaches. While offsite manufacturing can improve quality and safety, over-rigid systems risk introducing compliance challenges or future constraints. In short, the objective should not be speed alone, it should be adaptability.
Sustainability beyond carbon accounting The NHS Net Zero agenda is shaping estate decisions across the country, and CDCs are no exception. CDCs not only
St Margaret’s CDC.
Designing for operational efficiency for Trusts and the NHS For Trust boards, CDCs are both clinical and financial assets. Patient throughput drives revenue, efficient layouts reduce waiting times, and small spatial decisions can compound over thousands of appointments. All aspects that are key to think about early when designing a CDC. At Thurrock, early surveys on the existing buildings
Jonathan Stead
Jonathan is a healthcare framework director at Morgan Sindall Construction, working closely with framework providers, including the NHS ProCure23 (P23) framework, to ensure all healthcare projects are delivered to the very highest standards for communities and clinical teams. He helps action strategic frameworks that support the construction of modern, resilient health estates, with a strong focus on collaboration between teams and long-term value for healthcare clients.
helped develop the design, with the main extension housing the specialist MRI, CT, X-Ray, and Ultrasound rooms, whilst the existing buildings were used for consulting rooms. This reduced the risk and ensured the equipment had the space that matched HTM standards while maximising patient throughput in lower-spec areas. When asset allocations are time-bound and temporary equipment hire erodes budgets, delivery teams must understand these pressures and adapt accordingly. Accelerating a programme to secure funding within a financial year can determine whether a project proceeds or not, so optimising layout to increase throughput has a measurable financial impact. Across multiple projects, we have seen how careful placement of gowning areas, scan rooms, and consulting spaces can maximise performance. Saving even one minute per patient can translate into more patients being seen and increased revenue. And understanding that dynamic changes the conversation, reinforcing how hospital estate decisions become operational strategy. This also reinforces the importance of post-occupancy
evaluation. Without capturing real performance data like patient satisfaction, staff feedback, energy consumption, maintenance, and patterns, we risk repeating avoidable mistakes.
In response, we are now undertaking structured
Post Occupancy Evaluations (POEs) on completed CDCs to inform future schemes. Insights from completed schemes such as Northgate CDC and Newmarket CDC are now feeding into structured post-occupancy evaluations, allowing us to compare predicted and actual performance. The aim is to move from anecdotal learning to evidence-based refinement.
Flexibility over fashion Healthcare infrastructure must outlast political cycles and funding waves. After all, diagnostic technology will evolve and service models will change. Designing CDCs with accessible service zones, adaptable trunking systems, and removable partitions may not always win architectural awards, but it will support long-term resilience. At St Margaret’s CDC, this has translated into highly accessible service zones, including over 260 access hatches to ensure futureproofing for maintenance
34 Health Estate Journal September 2026
reduce patient travel by decentralising diagnostics but provide opportunities to repurpose existing buildings where feasible and integrate low-carbon technologies such as air source heat pumps – all aspects that contribute to reducing carbon output throughout construction. However, sustainability must extend beyond embodied and operational carbon metrics. A CDC that functions efficiently, minimises maintenance intervention, and supports long-term service flexibility is inherently more sustainable than one that requires frequent retrofitting. Carbon reporting is important, but we find that durability and adaptability are equally so. On schemes such as Newmarket CDC, offsite manufacturing of large ventilation and air source heat pumps reduced waste and improved programme efficiency, while at Northgate CDC, a careful programme of works contributed to measurable carbon savings of 122 tonnes CO2
equivalent during construction.
Where next? The next phase of CDC delivery should be characterised by maturity rather than urgency. We must:
n Embed early contractor and specialist involvement as standard practice.
n Share post-occupancy data transparently across the sector.
n Strengthen healthcare-specific capability within design and construction teams.
n Continue exploring estate repurposing opportunities in community settings.
n Balance rapid delivery with long-term flexibility.
Above all, it is essential to maintain focus on the purpose of these facilities. Every CDC represents thousands of patients seeking clarity and reassurance, so faster diagnosis improves outcomes. While earlier intervention reduces long-term cost, accessible facilities narrow health inequality gaps. The estates community has a central role to play in achieving these outcomes. Having delivered seven CDCs across a wide range of
environments, we definitely cannot claim to have perfected the model. But we have gained practical insight into how these facilities perform, and where friction arises. If the first chapter of CDC development was about
swiftly increasing diagnostic capacity, the next must be about doubling down on performance and ensuring long- term resilience. By applying collective learning, engaging earlier, and designing more intelligently, we can ensure that future CDCs grow in scale and in quality, where taking the time to weigh the right options maximises impact and, ultimately, defines their long-term success.
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