A groundbreaking ceremony has been held to mark the start of a £25m programme to create a Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) to serve patients from Luton and South Bedfordshire.

The CDC will be located on the University of Bedfordshire’s Luton Campus site and will house healthcare facilities for endoscopy, CT scanning and bone density scanning (DEXA) for adult patients.

The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by staff from Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, University of Bedfordshire and Central East Integrated Care Board and construction contractor Ashe.

The CDC is scheduled to open to patients in spring 2027.

David Carter, Chief Executive of Bedfordshire Hospitals said: “It’s great to see work begin for this essential development, which will provide diagnostic and follow up care closer to the community whilst easing pressure on our main hospital site.”

Dr Jacquelyn Harvey, Clinical Director for Gastroenterology and Endoscopy at Bedfordshire Hospitals said: “This new facility represents a major investment in the health of our community. Earlier access to state of the art endoscopy and imaging  means earlier answers for patients, faster treatment where needed, and ultimately better outcomes. We are proud to bring this high-quality service closer to home for the people of Luton."