A new government programme to improve diagnostic services across the country has been warmly welcomed in Chesterfield, where it is hoped it will greatly improve access for local patients.
The government’s £237 million investment in 36 new and expanded Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) across England, will see expansion at Walton Hospital as part of the programme.
Local MP, Toby Perkins, welcomed the investment, saying: “This is great news for Chesterfield and will mean people get vital tests and scans more quickly and closer to home. Expanding diagnostic services locally means earlier detection of illnesses, faster treatment, and ultimately better outcomes for patients. It also reduces the need for people to travel further afield, making healthcare more convenient and accessible.
This is a positive step forward in strengthening our local NHS services and ensuring they are fit for the future. This Labour Government is investing to ensure we mend and improve or NHS.”
The investment forms part of a wider £26 billion annual funding increase for the NHS, which has already enabled record levels of diagnostic activity. Community Diagnostic Centres provide a wide range of services including MRIs, CT scans, ultrasounds and other essential diagnostic tests. In 2025 alone, the NHS in England carried out nearly 30 million tests and scans. Health Secretary, Wes Streeting MP, said the expansion represents “the biggest expansion in NHS diagnostics in a generation,” helping to detect illnesses earlier and save lives.
The expansion at Walton Hospital will see the addition of permanent MRI and CT scanners, DEXA scanning, and Audiology and Transnasal Endoscopy (TNE) services.
Work on upgrades is expected to begin delivering benefits for patients as early as this year.