COMMUNITY DIAGNOSTIC CENTRES


Pentagon Shopping Centre, Chatham – James Williams Healthy Living Centre Currently in development, the James Williams Healthy Living Centre is set to deliver far more than the services of a traditional GP surgery. In addition to core primary care, the facility will provide a range of diagnostics, wellness advice and community health programmes. Its location within the Pentagon Shopping Centre ensures excellent public transport links and ease of access for residents who might otherwise face travel barriers. David Bailey Furniture has been


selected to design and install the fitted furniture, with a brief that prioritises infection control without sacrificing comfort. Surfaces will be seamless and non-porous to minimise contamination risks, while ergonomic layouts will help patients and staff move easily through the space.


Thanet Integrated Health Hub Plans for the Thanet hub represent another step forward in integrated healthcare delivery. This project will combine a CDC with primary care services, supported by voluntary sector partners including Age UK. The goal is to create a single, accessible destination where patients can receive multiple forms of care and support under one roof. By housing diagnostics, consultations, and community health resources together, the hub will reduce the need for repeated appointments across different sites, improving patient efficiency and satisfaction. Its inclusive design will cater to the needs of Thanet’s diverse population, ensuring services are accessible to all, from young families to older residents.


The Mall, Wood Green In North London, The Mall at Wood Green already hosts a fully operational CDC, proving that healthcare can co-exist seamlessly within a busy urban retail environment. The centre has quickly established itself as a popular and convenient choice for patients, who often


IFHE DIGEST 2026


take advantage of the location to combine their appointments with shopping or leisure activities. Feedback from NHS staff indicates that co-location with retail facilities is contributing to higher attendance rates and fewer missed appointments. Importantly, the facility has been designed to integrate discreetly with its surroundings, avoiding disruption to the retail offer while providing state-of- the-art diagnostic capacity in the heart of the community.


Sustainability and the NHS’s carbon targets All this progress is happening alongside the NHS commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2040 for its directly controlled emissions, and by 2045 for its wider supply chain. Locating healthcare services in existing community buildings helps reduce the environmental impact of construction and limits the need for extensive patient travel. By reusing existing infrastructure, the


carbon footprint associated with new building materials is also significantly reduced. Energy-efficient lighting, modern HVAC systems, and natural ventilation strategies are increasingly integrated into CDC designs. The NHS’s Greener NHS programme


estimates that travel by patients, visitors, and staff accounts for around 14 per cent of the service’s total carbon footprint. By providing services closer to home, CDCs are a direct contribution to lowering this figure.


The expanding role of community hubs While the original focus of CDCs was diagnostic testing, many are now evolving into broader health hubs. These expanded services can include sensory assessments for vision and hearing, nutritional counselling, immunisation clinics for flu and COVID-19, extended opening hours for out-of-hours appointments, and mental health drop-in sessions. This diversification increases the value of each location to its community and strengthens the case for continued


investment. It also opens up new opportunities for integrated care, where patients can receive multiple services in one visit. The NHS has already committed to


expanding the CDC network further, with a target of 200 centres operational in 2025. Long-term, the model could be expanded into other service areas, creating multi-use community health hubs that bring diagnostics, treatment, prevention, and wellness under one roof. The public’s response has been largely


positive. NHS England surveys in 2023 found patient satisfaction levels at CDCs were higher than at traditional hospital diagnostic departments, with convenience cited as the top reason. We are not just seeing a change in


healthcare delivery – we are seeing a change in how people think about healthcare. When it is local, accessible, and integrated into daily life, it becomes something people engage with earlier and more often. That can only be a good thing for public health. The transformation of NHS service


delivery through CDCs and health hubs represents one of the most significant shifts in the service’s 75-year history. By decentralising diagnostics, integrating services into community spaces, and designing these facilities for both efficiency and comfort, the NHS is tackling some of its most persistent challenges head-on. Good design, from the layout of a


reception area to the fitted furniture in a treatment room, is a critical part of this change. As the network of community healthcare facilities grows, the partnership between healthcare providers, designers, and specialist manufacturers will remain vital to ensuring these spaces are functional, compliant, and welcoming. If the first wave of CDCs is any indication, this approach has the potential to reshape not only how care is delivered, but also how it is experienced, creating a healthcare system that is more accessible, more efficient, and more in tune with the needs of the communities it serves. IFHE


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