In a former department store at a shopping center, two health trusts intend to open a diagnostic service.
A £20 million lease for a portion of the former House of Fraser in the borough's Metrocentre has been signed by Gateshead Health and Newcastle Hospitals NHS trusts.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as well as cardiac and respiratory tests, will be offered by the community diagnostic center (CDC).
The center, according to the trusts, will "provide a much-needed boost to diagnostic services" and make it simpler to access care locally.
They added that the facility's 40,000 square feet (3,720 square meters) of space was made to make it easier for the growing number of people who are receiving referrals to access screening and diagnostic tests outside of a hospital setting.
According to them, the additional capacity—roughly 145,000 appointments per year—would hasten diagnosis times.
The old House of Fraser, which will close in 2021, has had a portion of its downstairs leased to luxury retailer Harrods.
According to the trusts, the CDC will tuck behind, taking up most of the space that is still on that level, and will be accessed from the first floor.
It was a "significant milestone in the evolution of the center," according to Ben Cox of the mall's manager, real estate developer Sovereign Centros.
He declared that it would be a "key regional location for alternative uses, including healthcare.".
He added that the 134 anticipated new jobs and "significant new footfall" would benefit the other stores on the property.
Despite the fact that the CDC is scheduled to open in 2024, the trusts announced that starting at the end of this year, they would also be providing more diagnostic services in Blaydon.
