Around 180,000 patients a year will be able to access tests without going to hospital thanks to a new £43 million facility.

The Stoke-on-Trent Community Diagnostic Centre in Hanley, due to open later this month, will provide a range of tests including MRI, CT, ultrasound scans and X-rays.

At the moment, most patients in North Staffordshire have to travel to the Royal Stoke University Hospital for these tests.

Bosses at University Hospitals of North Midlands say the new CDC, on the old Sainsbury's site in Etruria Road, will improve access to diagnostic services while helping to 'decompress' the busy Royal Stoke site.

They hope this will mean faster diagnoses for patients, allowing them to start treatment more quickly, leading to better health outcomes. The Hanley site was chosen for its central location, transport links and the availability of parking.

Elaine Andrews, deputy director for strategy and transformation, said: "While you can get some tests such as X-rays in the community, most patients currently have to go to the Royal Stoke.

"e looked at how accessible the Royal Stoke is for the local population, and we know that for people living in more deprived areas such as Meir or Tunstall, it can be difficult.

"So we considered issues such as travel time and public transport and found that Hanley would be the best place for a community diagnostic centre. If you just need to get a test done, it means that you don't have to deal with having to get to the Royal Stoke, then finding somewhere to park.

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"The idea is that an acute hospital like the Royal Stoke should only be for activity that can only be done there."

Dr Andrews said the two-year build up to the CDC's launch had given UHNM time to create apprenticeships for roles in diagnostic services, meaning the facility will have a full complement of staff.

And there are plans to expand the services available at the CDC in future.

Dr Anne-Marie Morris, deputy chief medical officer, said: "This is the first phase of the CDC. Once everything is up and running we'll be looking to expand the range of tests available here.

"This is a good news story for the local NHS. It will improve access to diagnostics while helping to decompress activity at the Royal Stoke."

NHS guidelines state that patients should not have to wait more than six weeks for a diagnostic test. While UHNM's performance has improved in this area over the past year, reaching 82.1 per cent in March, it is still short of its 97 per cent target.

Non-obstetric ultrasound has been the 'majority contributor' to this variance, according to latest report to the UHNM board.