New NHS Diagnostic Services to Open in the Heart of Haringey
24 Nov 2021
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A new Community Diagnostics Centre (CDC), hosted by Whittington Health NHS Trust, will be opening in Wood Green’s The Mall in the early part of Summer next year. It will be located on the ground floor of The Mall, the community shopping centre owned by Capital & Regional, adjacent to Flying Tiger and close to Boots, where two units will be joined for the new facility. Initially, the centre will offer x-ray, ultrasound, ophthalmology and phlebotomy services to local people in the heart of Haringey, but there are plans to increase the number of services that we can offer on the site in the future.
The new Wood Green centre is one of the first of 40 community diagnostic centres opening across England. The new centres will increase the diagnostic capacity across North Central London and make it easier for people to access services in their community. The centre is part of a national NHS England and NHS Improvement’s programme to help accelerate recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on routine diagnostic testing. A similar diagnostic centre has also opened recently at Finchley Memorial Hospital in Barnet offering CT, MRI, ultrasound and ophthalmology scans amongst other diagnostic procedures.
The new centre will make it quicker and easier for local people across the community to access these services. By providing additional services to those already offered by the NHS locally, it is hoped to speed up diagnosis and if treatment, if it is required, to begin more quickly. By putting these services in the heart of the community, the Trust also hopes to provide a further boost to local businesses by encouraging people to visit the high street as part of the Trust’s ambition to be an anchor institution within its community.
Cllr Lucia das Neves, Haringey Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care and Wellbeing, said: “We are pleased to hear that Whittington Health has been successful in its bid for funding to open a new diagnostics facility in Wood Green. We hope the centre will bring easier access to healthcare to more residents, helping earlier identification of conditions and therefore reduce the amount of time residents live with undiagnosed health issues. We fully support our health partners engaging with the community and listening to their thoughts in how the new centre will be delivered and develop in the future.”
Lawrence Hutchings, CEO of Capital & Regional, which owns and manages The Mall, Wood Green, added, “This partnership with Whittington Health NHS Trust is the beginning of an exciting long-term relationship for us both and marks another step forward in the execution of our community shopping centre strategy at Wood Green, whereby we’re providing a set of easily accessible services that are tailored to the locality. We’re looking forward to the opening of the new diagnostics centre next summer and the further improvement to the breadth of services, retail and restaurants on offer at The Mall.”
Whittington Health is currently asking local people to take part in a survey about the new centre online to help them to ensure it is best placed to meet their needs. You can take part at: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/WoodGreenCommunityDiagnosticCentre.
Centres such as this one in Haringey were one of the recommendations made by Professor Sir Mike Richards, the first NHS National Cancer Director, who conducted a review of diagnostic services as part of the NHS’s Long Term Plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are you doing?
A new Community Diagnostics Centre (CDC), hosted by Whittington Health NHS Trust, will be opening in The Mall, Wood Green in the Summer. Initially, the centre will offer x-ray, ultrasound, ophthalmology and phlebotomy services to local people in the heart of Haringey but there are plans to increase the number of services that we can offer on the site in the future.
Where will the new centre be located?
It will be located in the heart of Haringey, in The Mall. On the ground floor, adjacent to Flying Tiger and close to Boots, where two units will be amalgamated for the new facility.
How will people be able to get there? Can I park?
Over 75 different buses run through Wood Green and stop directly outside The Mall. The main bus routes into Wood Green are: 29, 67, 121, 123,141, 144, 184, 221, 230, 232, 243, 329, W3 and W4.
By tube, take the Piccadilly line to either Wood Green or Turnpike lane
Parking in Wood Green town centre at The Mall couldn’t be easier.
The Mall Wood Green is approximately a mile from the North Circular. From the North follow the signs from the North Circular via Bounds Green Road or Green Lanes onto the High Road.
From the south via Green Lanes onto the High Road From the East via Lordship lane or West Green Road and the West access from Hornsey High Road.
Sat Nav users should use postcode N22 6TB for the West Car Park and N22 6LN for the East Car Park.
Who is running the centre? Is it a privately run centre?
The centre will be operated and staff employed by Whittington Health NHS Trust on behalf of the NHS in North Central London.
Will the centre only see Whittington Health’s patients?
People do not have to be under the care of Whittington Health to take advantage of the new provision. Patients can be referred to it by their GP or from any other local hospital; another sign of how the NHS is working collaboratively across North Central London to benefit patients and put them at the heart of what they do.
When will it open?
We are finalising the plans to fit out the centre now, with a view to opening it for its first patients in Summer 2022.
What services will it offer?
Initially, the centre will offer x-ray, ultrasound, ophthalmology and phlebotomy services to local people in the heart of Haringey but there are plans to increase the number of services that we can offer on the site in the future.
Will I be able to walk in or will I need an appointment?
We are still finalising our plans for how the centre will operate but at this stage we anticipate a combination of walk in and appointment bookings, depending on the type of test you require.
What if The Mall, Wood Green isn’t convenient for me?
The centre will provide an additional location to access services, all existing locations where these services are provided will remain open – so you can continue to access the most convenient location for you.
Why are you opening this centre, now?
The Wood Green centre is one of 40 community diagnostic centres opening across England. The new centres will increase the diagnostic capacity across North Central London, making it easier for people to access services in their community. The centre is part of a national NHS England and NHS Improvement’s programme to help accelerate recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on routine diagnostic testing.
Centres such as this one in Haringey were one of the recommendations made by Professor Sir Mike Richards, the first NHS National Cancer Director, who conducted a review of diagnostic services as part of the NHS’s Long Term Plan.
Will you be recruiting extra staff to work in the centre, if so, how do I apply?
We will be recruiting around 30 staff in total, with roles ranging from administration and reception roles to phlebotomists, imaging staff and other clinical roles. Keep an eye on the Whittington Health website at: jobs.whittington.nhs.uk.