London patients to benefit from faster care as NHS invests

15 April 2026

London patients to benefit from faster care as NHS invests in diagnostic and urgent care services across the capital

Londoners are set to benefit from faster tests and improved emergency care, as the government announces major investment in NHS services across the capital.

A £237 million national investment in Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) will benefit 36 centres across the country, including those in Wembley, Eltham and Finchley. Separately, a £215.5 million programme to upgrade emergency units nationwide will also deliver improvements for London, with Royal Free London, Chelsea and Westminster, and Imperial College Healthcare all set to benefit.

Dr Chris Streather, Regional Director of Commissioning for the NHS in London, said: “From installing cutting-edge diagnostic tools to creating additional space to see patients, this funding will allow even more Londoners to get tests, checks and scans close to home.

“In London, our focus is on building lasting capacity so that more patients are seen quickly, in the right setting. By investing in new and expanded emergency units, our A&Es can be freed up for those who need them most.

“This significant investment supports our mission to end hospital backlogs and ensure 92% of patients are seen within 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029.”

Community Diagnostic Centres

Community Diagnostic Centres are local hubs where patients can access a wide range of tests, including MRIs, CT scans and ultrasounds. Some are open 12 hours a day, seven days a week, in convenient locations such as high streets and shopping centres.

From October 2026, Wembley CDC will install two additional MRI scanners, doubling its MRI capacity and enabling more than 26,000 additional scans per year. Wembley CDC’s MRI service already runs from 8am to midnight, seven days a week, using remote scanning technology so patients can be seen into the evening without staff needing to be on-site.

In South East London, Eltham CDC is receiving £304,000 in capital funding to expand its services. A new DEXA bone density scanner is being installed alongside two new ultrasound machines and an additional ultrasound clinic room, creating capacity to see an additional 25 patients per day.

Building works are underway and due to complete around May 2026. A further £150,000 is supporting two new clinical pathways at Eltham CDC — one for Children and Young People’s Asthma and one for Gynaecology Unscheduled Bleeding — both due to launch in Spring 2026.

There are currently 170 CDCs in operation across England, 14 of which are in London, with total government investment in the programme reaching £253.6 million since July 2024. This funding has already helped the NHS carry out more than 46 million tests, checks and scans.

Urgent and Emergency Care

In Isleworth, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is overhauling West Middlesex University Hospital’s emergency department and diagnostics services. The waiting room has been redesigned with new digital tools to improve diagnostic capability, including a new CT scanner and call bell system, improving how patients are assessed and moved through the department on arrival.

At Charing Cross Hospital in Hammersmith, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust is undertaking a phased renovation of its Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) unit, expected to finish in September 2026.

SDEC services offer rapid assessment, diagnosis and treatment for patients with urgent but stable conditions, helping to avoid unnecessary admissions. The expanded unit will include more treatment chairs, trolleys and waiting space, as well as an extra accessible toilet, and will also be available to the emergency department out of hours.

Meanwhile, the Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) at North Middlesex University Hospital is being transformed by Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. New funding will double the number of consultation rooms and create 68 additional waiting spaces. The expanded UTC will open this September, with new rapid assessment treatment bays following in December.

These investments form part of a broader government push to end corridor care. Nationally, A&E waiting times are at their shortest in four years and ambulance response times are the fastest in half a decade.

 

source: NHS