Thousands more checks, tests and scans available out of hours
Source: gov.uk (2025-08-17)

100 community diagnostic centres across the country now offer out-of-hours services, 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.

- Milestone means tens of thousands of patients can access vital tests, scans and checks around busy working lives
- Delivering more convenient care out of hours as part of government’s Plan for Change, transforming healthcare and making the NHS fit for the future
Tens of thousands of patients across England can now access vital diagnostic tests and scans out of hours and in their community, with 100 community diagnostic centres (CDCs) opening in the evenings and on weekends.

With the government already delivering 7.2 million CDC tests and scans since July 2024, patients no longer have to choose between their job and vital health appointments as more centres open 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Based in convenient settings closer to people’s homes like shopping centres, community hospitals and university campuses, many of these centres also offer free parking to make care as easy as possible, with many NHS services already feeling the positive impact of being open out of hours.

Latest NHS England data (https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/diagnostics-waiting-times-and-activity/monthly-diagnostics-waiting-times-and-activity/monthly-diagnostics-data-2025-26/) shows that the NHS delivered over 1.6 million more tests and scans from July 2024 to June 2025 compared to the same time the previous year. For cancer, the NHS hit the Faster Diagnosis Standard with 76.8% - or 218,463 people - having cancer ruled out or diagnosed within 28 days, the highest June since the standard was introduced. Improved performance on the Faster Diagnosis Standard means that nearly 100,000 (97,000) more people have had cancer diagnosed or ruled out within 28 days between July 2024 and June 2025, compared to the same period last year.

Extending opening hours for CDCs is opening up access and speeding up diagnosis for patients all around the country.

For example, Oldham CDC has slashed lung cancer diagnosis times from 42 days to just 18.8 days, meeting the Faster Diagnosis Standard for the first time. Queen Victoria Hospital CDC in East Grinstead now delivers five times more respiratory patient interactions per session, with 92% avoiding hospital outpatient appointments entirely. These centres are helping to speed up care, making it easier for patients nationwide.

Community diagnostic centres are a pivotal part of the government’s Plan for Change to transform care, moving it out of hospital and into the community.

By speeding up diagnosis and treatment, government is reducing pressure on overwhelmed hospitals and putting patients at ease faster.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:

This government is determined to offer healthcare that fits around working people’s lives and not the other way around.

From early morning MRI scans to late evening blood tests, we’re meeting patients where they need it most by extending the operating hours for community diagnostic centres and putting patients first.

Our 10 Year Health Plan (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/10-year-health-plan-for-england-fit-for-the-future) is revolutionising how healthcare works, and this achievement is a vital step in bringing care closer to community. Delivering on our Plan for Change, we’re building an NHS that’s fit for the future.

Professor Meghana Pandit, NHS England National Medical Director, said:

We know people are living incredibly busy lives and it’s vital NHS care reflects that.

The services provided by community diagnostic centres enable people to receive the all-clear or a diagnosis at a time and location that suits them - whether before a school drop-off or after a work shift - and extending their opening hours means more people are being seen more quickly.

So, if anyone has any health concerns, we urge them to seek NHS advice so they can get the care they need.

Wayne Rowlands who visited the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) CDC for an emergency CT scan, said:

I came here for the scan and everything went very smoothly. It was such a pleasant experience. Absolutely brilliant. It’s very bright and not at all like a hospital.

The staff have all been absolutely brilliant as well. This is something really quite special that we have here.

The Plan for Change sets out how government is doing things differently to transform the NHS. By moving care out of hospitals into communities, embracing cutting-edge technology, and redesigning services around patients’ needs the government reforms are creating a more accessible, efficient NHS that works for working people.

The plan is backed by £6 billion of additional capital investment to improve capacity for elective, diagnostic and urgent care services over 5 years - with over £600 million capital funding committed for 2025 to 2026 to transform diagnostic services amidst growing demands. This includes funding up to 5 additional CDCs in 2025/26, as committed to in our elective reform plan (https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/reforming-elective-care-for-patients/), alongside extending opening hours for all CDCs at evenings and on weekends.

Patients can be referred to CDCs via their GP or hospital based clinical teams. The NHS is also making it easier for GPs to refer directly to CDCs via schemes like GP Direct Access, and developing more activity involving CDCs, so patients can have their diagnostic test ahead of meeting their consultant, reducing the number of outpatient appointments they need to attend.