A former supermarket in Stoke-on-Trent is set to be converted into a £42.6 million Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC).

The Sainsbury's site in Hanley is due to open in 2025, as part of a national roll-out aiming to create 160 centres across England.

It will be run by University Hospitals of North Midlands (UHNM), with about 180 people expected to work there.

CDCs are designed to reduce the time people wait for diagnoses and, once fully operational, the NHS said it will have the ability to deliver an additional 85,000 checks, tests and scans each year.

Sainsbury's closed its Hanley store in 2022, and the site was chosen for the CDC because of its good public and private transport links, meaning easy access for people who may find it difficult to get to the hospital, said UHNM.

Staff recruitment and training is already under way, and plans for the centre are progressing at "pace," according to University Hospitals of North Midlands (UHMN) director of strategy Helen Ashley.

"Faster diagnostics is key to diagnosing a range of conditions, including cancer, as early as possible," she said.

"If a patient needs more than one type of scan, the centre will aim to provide them in one visit to reduce travelling and waiting times for diagnoses."

In addition to MRI, CT, ultrasound scans and X-rays, the centre will also provide testing and diagnostic services including pathology, endoscopy, respiratory and cardiology physiology.