Patient services boosted by health hub expansion

Patients will be offered more diagnostic care from mid-December after a community health hub underwent major expansion work.

Two new X-ray rooms, a pre-assessment clinic and a new nurse station will be among the facilities available at St Margaret's Community Diagnostic Centre in Epping, Essex, from 14 December.

The centre opened in March, but will now have capacity for up to 350 more patients each day after the size of the building was extended.

Hospital chief Thom Lafferty said it would give people quicker access to the tests and treatment they needed.

He hopes the service will mean earlier diagnosis in diseases such as cancer.

Patients can already go to the diagnostic centre for blood tests, but the extension means it will now have capacity for about 230 of them each day.

"This is more than an increase in capacity," added Lafferty, who is chief executive of the Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust.

"It is about creating a joined-up, efficient and welcoming service that supports earlier diagnosis, improves the patient experience and delivers more care in the right place."

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