WORK on a new £13 community million diagnostic centre in Braintree has begun, NHS bosses have confirmed.

The new centre has entered its building phase with works getting underway on Saturday.

The centre is being built on the St Michael’s site and will be adjacent to the William Julien Courtauld Birthing Centre.

Once complete, the new site will offer diagnostic services including X-rays, CT and MRI scans, blood tests and more.  

Matthew Hopkins, chief executive of Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This is good news for the local community and brings us a step closer to providing diagnostic tests closer to home.

“We have already progressed well with the Thurrock CDC, and plans for Pitsea are well developed.

“With Southend’s independent provider about to be announced in the autumn, it means that by 2026 we will have four centres across mid and south Essex which will speed up tests and help to reduce waiting times.”

Build - The works are a £13 million investment into the CentreBuild - The works are a £13 million investment into the Centre (Image: Daniels, Maximilian)

The build works will mean some small changes to services offered at The William Julien Courtauld Birthing Centre (WJC), which will continue to be open for births and postnatal care.

Antenatal and outpatient appointments are moving temporarily to the adjacent Braintree Community Hospital to minimise disruption for women and birthing people.

Health and wellbeing boss at Braintree Council Lynette Bowers-Flint said: “We are pleased to see the construction of a new state-of-the-art diagnostic centre in Braintree.

“This facility will significantly improve access to essential healthcare services for our residents and enhance the overall quality of care in our community.

“It’s a testament to our ongoing commitment to support the NHS to provide excellent healthcare and facilities for our residents.”

Braintree will be just the second area in mid and south Essex to have a new diagnostic centre at its hospital, with more planned.

It’s part of a national initiative to give patients a wide range of diagnostic tests closer to home and greater choice on where and how they are undertaken, reducing the need for hospital visits and potentially speeding up the start of treatment.