‘I used to shop here when it was Sainsbury’s – it is now completely unrecognisable’
Gary Porter West Midlands Content Editor for StokeOnTrentLive
18:00, 30 Apr 2026
Neil and Nicola Edwards
The first patients have officially been welcomed to the new £43m Stoke-on-Trent Community Diagnostic Centre. The multi‑million‑pound facility in Hanley brings services closer to home for patients and and ease pressure on the Royal Stoke.
Located on the old Sainsbury’s site in Etruria Road, the centre will provide a range of tests including MRI, CT, ultrasound scans and X-rays. Neil Edwards, 71, from Blurton, who was welcomed as the centre’s first patient, said: “I came here for a scan on my lungs. The building is fantastic, very easy to get to and the parking is brilliant.”
He added: “I used to shop here when it was Sainsbury’s – it is now completely unrecognisable.”
Edna Jones, 89, from Cauldon Low, near Waterhouses, who attended as the centre’s second patient, said: “It’s absolutely brilliant – a lovely new building with easy parking and plenty of access. The staff have been fantastic.”
Edna Jones with daughter Susan Swinson
Dr Simon Constable, UHNM Chief Executive, said: “Welcoming our first patients to the new Stoke‑on‑Trent Community Diagnostic Centre in Hanley is a really important moment for UHNM and something that has been years in the making.”
He continued: “This is about making it easier for people to get the tests they need more quickly and more conveniently. It means earlier diagnosis, quicker access to treatment and a better overall experience for our patients, while also helping to reduce pressure on our hospital sites.”
The Stoke‑on‑Trent Community Diagnostic Centre is part of the NHS’s wider commitment to transforming diagnostic services by delivering care in community settings, making it easier for people to attend appointments and receive timely results.
Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search
Get daily headlines and breaking news emailed to you – it’s FREE