A brand-new, state-of-the-art endoscopy unit in the heart of Swindon’s community has officially opened its doors, offering thousands of patients the opportunity to receive vital care, which could prove lifesaving, sooner and closer to home.
The very first patients were welcomed at the new facility, which is located at the site of the West Swindon Health Centre, on Tuesday 25 November, with approximately 6,000 more expected to follow suit over the next 12 months.
Having the state-of-the-art endoscopy unit based in the community not only relieves pressure on Swindon’s Great Western Hospital, but ensures people waiting for important investigations can get the care they need in a timelier manner, and in a setting that is closer to their home or place of work.
The new unit demonstrates how the local NHS is continuing to deliver on the commitments outlined in the government’s recently-published 10-Year Health Plan, which stressed the need for more services, particularly those that were previously only available in hospital, to be brought into the heart of people’s communities.
Dr Barry Coakley, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, said: “When a patient receives the news that their symptoms could be the early warning signs of something serious, it can be extremely distressing, and can leave both them and their family feeling worried, unsettled and anxious for answers.
“The new endoscopy unit in Swindon, along with the other community diagnostic centres in our region, is helping to reduce this anxiety, as tests and investigations can now begin sooner than before, meaning serious conditions can be ruled out at a much earlier stage.
“And, for the times when a patient’s results do indicate that actions need to be taken, treatment is able to begin quicker, which we know can lead to improved rates of recovery and, most importantly, people having more time with their friends and loved ones.”
The new endoscopy unit, which sits alongside the town’s existing community diagnostic centre, will be managed on a day-to-day basis by clinical teams from the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Dr Ajeya Shetty, Endoscopy Lead at the Great Western Hospital, said: “I’m proud that this new addition to community diagnostic centre will significantly expand our capacity to deliver timely, high-quality endoscopic care.
“By moving services closer to patients, we can shorten waiting times, support earlier diagnosis and improve outcomes across our community.”
Vanguard Healthcare Solutions constructed the new unit over the nine-month period between January and October 2025, with the overall build made possible with support from NHS Property Services.
Simon Squirrell, UK Business Director at Vanguard, said: “We are delighted to be supporting our colleagues in the NHS to deliver even more excellent patient care and essential procedures.”
Richard Mackay, Managing Director – South, NHS Property Services, said: “We are delighted to have helped deliver this new endoscopy unit for the people of Swindon and the surrounding area.
“NHS Property Services is focussed on providing more preventative services and enabling the shift from hospital to neighbourhood health services to ensure the government’s key health priorities within the Ten-Year Health Plan are met.”
As well as those in Swindon, the last two years have seen other community diagnostic centres open across the region, with sites up and running in both Salisbury and Bath.
Together, the three centres have been able to provide diagnostic care, such as CT scans and X-rays, to around 60,000 people, all of whom would have previously had to visit hospital for their procedures.
Further information about community diagnostic centres in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire can be found online at www.bsw.icb.nhs.uk.
