A new purpose-built diagnostic centre has opened in Yeovil, bringing faster diagnoses and easier access to care for local patients.
Developed by Prime in partnership with Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, the Yeovil Diagnostic Centre will provide a convenient, one-stop location for diagnostic tests and outpatient appointments, helping to reduce waiting times and support the Trust’s long-term diagnostic strategy.
Partners involved in delivering the project came together to mark the opening, including Prime, the Trust, funder M&G, contractor Darwin Group, employer’s agent Ridge and specialist service provider InHealth, highlighting the collaborative effort behind the centre’s delivery.
Find out more about the project
Located next to Yeovil District Hospital, the three-storey centre spans 2,687m². It will be open seven days a week and is expected to deliver more than 70,000 diagnostic tests and outpatient appointments each year. Services include MRI, CT, ultrasound and X-ray, alongside outpatient consultations, treatment facilities, ECHO and ECG, endoscopy and adult and paediatric audiology. By moving routine diagnostics out of the main hospital setting, the centre will also free up hospital capacity for patients with more complex needs.
Sustainability was a core consideration from the outset. The building was designed to achieve net zero embodied carbon and has been awarded BREEAM Excellent certification, placing it in the top 10 per cent of new non-domestic buildings in the UK. The project also delivers significant Biodiversity Net Gain reaching almost 300%, far exceeding local authority requirements.
Further sustainability features include a rain garden, bio-retention planters and a site-wide sustainable drainage system, alongside roof-mounted solar panels generating 45 kilowatts of peak power output. The centre uses an all‑electric mechanical services strategy, including air-source heat pumps, and was developed using Modern Methods of Construction to support a faster, more efficient build programme.
Radiology and endoscopy services at the centre will be delivered by InHealth, the UK’s largest specialist diagnostic provider, with Somerset NHS Foundation Trust providing all other diagnostic, outpatient, consultation and treatment services.
Phil Holland, Chief Investment Officer at Prime, said: “Prime has been proud to work in partnership with Yeovil District Hospital since 2014 and more recently with Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. This is the fifth project we have delivered through our strategic estates partnership, with previous works including an emergency assessment unit, special care baby unit, multi-storey car park and keyworker housing.
“The completion of the Yeovil Diagnostic Centre reinforces Prime’s commitment to delivering innovative, high-quality healthcare infrastructure that meets the evolving needs of patients and healthcare providers and aligns with national strategy.”
Mr Jonathan Ockrim, a consultant colorectal surgeon and Somerset Foundation Trust’s clinical lead for the Yeovil Diagnostic Centre, said: “The opening of our new diagnostic centre today is fantastic news for people in Yeovil, North Dorset and the surrounding area. This is the latest in a series of major healthcare developments underway at Yeovil Hospital and in the community, and it’s excellent news to see such continued investment in our local services. The development of the new centre is very much in line with the government’s aim of expanding diagnostic services, which are separate from the acute hospital. The modern, state-of-the-art centre will further enhance patient experience, and will help reduce waiting times for a range of core services, ultimately meaning a much improved service for our patients.”
Geoff Searle, InHealth’s Chief Executive, said: “We’re proud to have worked in partnership with Somerset NHS Foundation Trust to provide key clinical services to the local population through this new centre.
“Across our nationwide network of CDCs, we’ve seen the real difference and positive impact that centres like these can bring for patients, focussed on improving health outcomes, so it’s fantastic to be doing that here in Yeovil. There has been a huge amount of hard work and dedication from all the teams involved to get us to this point, so a huge thank you to everyone involved and who worked tirelessly to ensure that this centre became a reality.”
