WATCH: Demolition work well underway on Peterborough care centre

Demolition work is well underway at the old Peterborough City Health Clinic on Wellington Street – with the roof now removed.

Heavy machinery has been on site for more than a week now, as the operation to pull the building down is ongoing.

It is expected the demolition process will last for a total of three weeks – so could be finished by the end of next week.

Once the building has been demolished, a new Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) will be built in its place.

The new facility is much-needed to help further improve the delivery of diagnostic testing and reduce patient waiting times for clinical investigation. It will be staffed and run by North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, which also runs Peterborough City Hospital.

Hannah Coffey, Chief Executive of the trust, said: “We know that waiting times for tests to help diagnose a condition are longer than we want them to be, and this can create additional anguish as well as a delay in treatment. The CDC will help us reduce waiting times and give patients a better experience, ensuring they receive results quicker. We are very excited to see this project evolve.”

The CDC will offer CT, MRI and DEXA scanning, as well as phlebotomy services and a direct link to the pathology services that are run at Peterborough City Hospital. Work has been ongoing for some months to work out the demand for these diagnostic services in the city and ensure that the new facility can meet the growing needs of an expanding population.

Dr Gary Howsam, Chief Clinical Improvement Officer at NHS Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, said: “We are delighted that work is about to start on the new Community Diagnostic Centre in Peterborough. Once open, the centre will provide local people with the opportunity to access much-needed diagnostic tests closer to home, giving them more choice about where and when they have their tests.”

It’s hoped that construction will start early next year, with the Centre due to open in late 2025.