A further £10m-plus investment has been confirmed to expand the Community Diagnostic Centre at the Metrocentre, as part of ongoing efforts to increase diagnostic capacity and improve access to NHS testing across the North East.
The funding will support a second phase of development at the facility, which opened in October 2024 following an initial £18.6m investment.
Since then, the centre has already delivered more than 75,000 patient appointments in a community-based setting.
Phase two, expected to open in spring 2027, will create capacity for more than 38,000 additional diagnostic tests and appointments each year.
The scheme forms part of a wider shift towards delivering diagnostics outside traditional hospital environments, with services located in high-footfall community settings to improve convenience and reduce pressure on acute sites.
The government recently invested £237m into the CDC programme to support 36 new and upgraded schemes, which includes the Metrocentre CDC.
The Metrocentre CDC expansion will introduce new imaging and clinical facilities, including an MRI scanner, additional ultrasound rooms and new X-ray capacity, alongside dedicated space for outpatient hysteroscopy and diagnostic consultations.
The expanded facility is being delivered in partnership between Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust and Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust through the Great North Healthcare Alliance, bringing together regional expertise to support earlier diagnosis and faster treatment pathways.
“Adding this extra MRI, ultrasound, hysteroscopy and X-ray capacity right here in the Metrocentre will make a difference for our patients,” said Gareth Davies, CDC Clinical Manager, at Gateshead Health.
“By moving these vital tests away from the busy hospital environment and into the community, we can spot conditions like cancer much earlier.”