Progress on building a new endoscopy unit in Swindon has taken an enormous leap forward in the last few weeks, after giant cranes hoisted the state-of-the-art structure into place.
The new unit, which will sit alongside the town’s community diagnostic centre in West Swindon, is due to open later in the year and, once fully operational, will be able to care for up to 6,000 patients every year.
Having a dedicated endoscopy unit based in the community means more patients will be able to receive diagnostic care that was once only available in large hospitals, such as the Great Western, sooner and closer to home.
Sixteen partially-fitted units – that when put together will make up the overall structure of the new endoscopy site – have now been lifted into place at the West Swindon Health Centre, meaning patients can now see the building beginning to take shape.
Mathew Johnson, Endoscopy Manager, Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“This new unit will make a real difference, as we’ll be able to see thousands more patients each year, and help reduce the time they wait for vital investigations.
This is a big step forward, not just for improving patient care, but also speeding up early diagnoses.”
Constructing the new unit in this novel way, as opposed to building from the ground up with bricks and mortar, reduces disruption on site and allows the installation process to progress at a much quicker pace.
When up and running, the new unit will carry out a range of planned gastroscopy and colonoscopy procedures, and will complement the many other services already being delivered at the West Swindon Health Centre, such as CT and MRI scans.
Dr Amanda Webb, Chief Medical Officer, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, said:
“We are on a journey to make local health and care truly accessible for all, and by having more diagnostic services based outside of hospital and closer to people’s homes, we will be able to cut waiting times, see more patients and, most importantly, ensure people can stay healthier for longer.
This is an exciting time for the NHS in our region, with many of the changes that have been spoken about for some time now firmly taking shape, and we are looking forward to seeing the tangible impact these initiatives have on the lives of local people.”
The new endoscopy unit will be managed by clinical teams from the Great Western Hospital in Swindon, and is part of a wider programme of work that has already seen three community diagnostic centres established in the region over the last two years.
The first of these new community diagnostic centres opened at the Sulis Hospital in Bath in March 2023, and was followed 12 months later by two additional sites at the West Swindon Health Centre and Salisbury Central Health Clinic.
As of April 2025, more than 60,000 patients from across the region have received a test or investigation, such as a CT scan, X-ray or endoscopy procedure, at one of the centres.
Approximately £14 million was put forward by Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board to deliver the region’s three community diagnostic centres.
For more information, visit www.bsw.icb.nhs.uk/news-and-events/community-diagnostic-centres.
