Government approval needed before work starts on £27.5m Luton community diagnostic centre
Approval for a business case stands between the start of work on a £27.5m community diagnostic centre for Luton and south Bedfordshire.
The hub would be based on the University of Bedfordshire campus in the town centre, once funding from the Department of Health is finally secured.
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of several stakeholders and partners working with the borough council around its town centre master plan.
The trust was represented at a public meeting to mark the official publication of the Luton town centre delivery plan 2025 to 2030. Its director of redevelopment and strategic planning Melanie Banks explained: “We know health and prosperity go hand-in-hand.
“We can’t fix health deprivation and problems unless we address opportunities for economic prosperity. We’ve had the chance working with our partners at the University of Bedfordshire to design and build a community diagnostic hub.
“The centre will serve the communities of Luton and south Bedfordshire. This isn’t just about capacity and improving access to healthcare for patients. It’s about strengthening our partnership with higher education and supporting young people and students into career paths around health and sciences.
“As part of this project and arrangement, we’ll be increasing the opportunities for the university students to have placements at the Luton and Dunstable Hospital. The university can increase its recruitment of students, so we’ll attract more local people into health and science-related courses.”
Speaking to the local democracy reporting service after the formal event, Ms Banks said: “This investment into the diagnostic centre will create around 1,700sqm of health space.
“The enabling work has been happening through this year and that’s required the university to move staff and functions out of its buildings and create new space for them elsewhere. These buildings have been completely stripped.
“Around March, the NHS plan is to start retrofitting them to create the health facilities. The project will be completed by the beginning of 2027 and ready for use shortly after that, so in just a little over 12 months.
“This is completely different to the three services run in Luton Point. These are phlebotomy where we take the patient bloods, sexual health and dermatology services. The diagnostic centre would provide endoscopy, CT scanning and DEXA scanning for bone density.
“These are the types of diagnostic facilities which support clinicians to help patients with pathways, such as gastrointestinal, liver and cancer pathways, to improve access to diagnostics, prognosis and then care for chronic disease management.
“The key factor for us now is getting that final approval. The Department of Health has allocated the money. But it needs to rubber stamp a business case to be assured this is suitable for patients, makes good sense, is affordable and drives value.”
Labour High Town councillor and portfolio holder for regeneration and inclusive growth James Taylor told the local democracy reporting service: “I think it’s important to put services where the people are.
“It’s a good strategy from the government,” he added. “Having everything tucked away at the hospital is probably not the best thing. So let’s adapt, let’s change, let’s put the services where the people need them.”