PLANS have moved forward for a new £15million community diagnostic centre in Workington after an application was submitted to Cumberland council.

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust submitted a proposal for a new Community Diagnostics Hub on June 5 for land at the central car park in Workington.

The new centre will offer MRI, CT and ultrasound scanning alongside consultation facilities which are set to benefit people throughout the wider Cumbria region.

The building will be located towards the western edge of the site boundary, using access from a shared road which would serve a new Innovation Hub for the town.

The proposals cover the provision of a two storey building; where the ground floor is solely staff and patient accommodation with M&E plant located at first floor in both an enclosed plant room and on the roof.

The new community diagnostics centre will support acute hospital sites in the region, alleviating pressures and accommodating an increase in patient numbers.

The diagnostic centre has been designed to provide protection for patients 'privacy and dignity' through the way the building has been designed.

A design and access statement supporting the application said: "The proposals seek to protect patient privacy and dignity by locating the consulting/exam and treatment rooms to the rear (eastern boundary) of the site, away from pedestrian, cycle and vehicular routes.

"Central Way is a dead end road, where the proposals allow for good visibility of the car park, with windows fronting on to it.

"There is also good visibility of the main entrance from the reception/waiting area."

GRAHAM has been appointed as the principal construction contractor for the development.

Speaking at the time funding was approved for the project, Dr Louise Dodgeon, clinical director for Radiology at NCIC, explains: “We are delighted to have been awarded the funding to build a new Community Diagnostic Centre in Workington.

“We have been working hard to recover from the big impact that Covid-19 had on our waiting lists and we are making good progress.

"By providing more diagnostics, this will help with quicker diagnoses of a range of conditions.”