Information for referrers

The Wembley and Willesden Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) are focused on helping combat health inequalities in north west London, with patients able to access diagnostic tests closer to their homes. They aim to reduce waiting times and improve efficiency and accessibility to diagnostic tests. These facilities are run by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and use the same standard of equipment as in our hospitals.

This page outlines the key features of each of the services that will be delivered at the Wembley and Willesden CDCs, including:

  • details on location
  • tests available
  • opening hours
  • referral details
  • reporting processes.

Locations

Wembley Community Diagnostic Centre is located at: 

The Wembley Centre for Health and Care 
116 Chaplin Road 
Wembley 
London 
HA0 4UZ 

Willesden Community Diagnostic Centre is located on the first floor of:

Willesden Centre for Health and Care
Robson Avenue
Willesden
NW10 3RY

The Wembley and Willesden CDCs are now accepting referrals for routine outpatients who are:

  • ambulant (non-electric wheelchairs can be accommodated)
  • adult patients (over 18 years of age).

Patients who require hospital transport should be referred to our main hospitals, Charing Cross, Hammersmith or St Mary’s.

The CDCs will accept referrals predominantly from secondary care referrers and from all GPs across north west London. However, the referral pathway and reporting will depend on the service – further information on each service is provided:

Wembley Community Diagnostic Centre

MRI scans

Tests

All appropriate contrast and non-Contrast MRI

Open hours

Monday to Sunday, from 08:00-20:00

Referral

GPs cannot currently refer directly to the Wembley Community Diagnostic Centre. Referrals should be made via Sunquest ICE to one of Imperial College Healthcare hospitals.

Patients within the Wembley catchment area, who are clinically appropriate, will be offered the option to have their test in the Wembley Community Diagnostic Centre.

Reporting

Back to the referrer – secondary care consultant (Cerner) and GP (ICE).

Notes

Patients with suspected or confirmed contrast media reactions will not be booked at the Wembley Community Diagnostic Centre.

If a patient has a metallic implant, please include this information in the patient request for the MRI team to risk assess.

CT scans

Tests

Routine Contrast and Non-Contrast CT

Open hours

Monday to Friday, from 09:00-17:00

Referral

GPs cannot currently refer directly to the Wembley Community Diagnostic Centre. Referrals should be made via Sunquest ICE to one of Imperial College Healthcare hospitals.

Patients within the Wembley catchment area, who are clinically appropriate, will be offered the option to have their test in the Wembley Community Diagnostic Centre.

Reporting

Back to the referrer – secondary care consultant (Cerner) and GP (ICE).

Notes

Patients with suspected or confirmed contrast media reactions will not be booked at the Wembley Community Diagnostic Centre

For CT scans that need contrast administration:

Patients with history of kidney disease, kidney transplant, diabetes with metformin therapy will need to have a recent GFR >30 (within last 3 months)

Willesden Community Diagnostic Centre

Cardiology physiology

Tests

  • Ambulatory Electrocardiography (Holter)
  • 12 Lead Electrocardiography (ECG)
  • Trans Thoracic Echocardiogram (TTE)

Open hours

Monday to Saturday, from 9:00 to 17:00

Referral

GPs should refer via e-RS for all cardiology physiology tests.

e-RS pathways (select ‘Not Otherwise Specified’):

  • Cardiology|Direct access ECG|Willesden Diagnostic Centre|Imperial NHS Trust|RYJ
  • Cardiology|Direct access echo clinic|Willesden Diagnostic Centre|Imperial NHS Trust|RYJ
  • Cardiology|Direct access holter clinic|Willesden Diagnostic Centre|Imperial NHS Trust|RYJ

ECG tests are bookable direct, while we currently triage all referrals for TTE and Holter – this means that these tests are not bookable direct to Willesden Community Diagnostic Centre.

Reporting

All results will go back to the referrer (a copy of the report will be sent to the GP).

Turnaround is a maximum of 10 working days.

Notes

In the event a patient needs an urgent review, and where clinically appropriate, we will refer to secondary care directly – GPs will be notified accordingly.

Please note we cannot accept stretcher patients.

Imaging


Tests

  • Ultrasound (non-obstetrics)
  • Plain film x-ray

Open hours

Monday to Friday, from 09:00 to 17:00

Referral

GPs are now able to refer directly to the Willesden Community Diagnostic Centre for this service. Referrals should be made via Sunquest ICE to Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust with Willesden CDC as the selected location.

Patients within the Willesden catchment area, who are clinically appropriate, will be offered the option to have their test in the Willesden Community Diagnostic Centre.

Reporting

Back to the referrer – secondary care consultant (Cerner) and GP (ICE).

Notes

Suspected fractures should not be referred to the Centre. Instead they should be referred to one of the acute hospitals.

We are accepting walk-in patients for this service. Please follow referral guidelines to put in the request and patients can choose to come on the day for their x-ray.

We are working with our ICB colleagues to provide more licences for Imperial ICE to GP practices to expand accessibility to this service.

Phlebotomy

Tests

Special screenings cannot be performed. All other non-urgent blood tests can be performed.

Open hours

Monday to Friday, from 9:00 to 17:00

Referral

GPs can make requests for tests on Sunquest ICE. A walk-in service is available, alternatively patients or referrers can book an appointment via our website, or by calling 020 3312 6666 once the request has been submitted.

Reporting

Back to the referring clinician.

Notes

Patients should be reminded to bring their referral letter or blood tests requests forms with them for all blood tests.

Respiratory physiology

Tests

This service tests for conditions such as COPD, asthma and breathlessness via the following tests:

  • Full lung function tests (lung volumes, gas transfer and spirometry)
  • Fractional expiratory nitric oxide (FeNo)
  • Spot check pulse oximetry
  • Spirometry
  • Bronchodilator response (Reversibility)
  • Six-minute walk test

Open hours

Monday to Friday, from 9:00 to 17:00

Referral

GPs can refer directly to Willesden Community Diagnostic Centre via e-RS, completing the ‘NWL ICS Respiratory Diagnostic Hublet Referral form’.

e-RS pathway (select ‘Not Otherwise Specified’):

  • Respiratory|Lung Function Diagnostic TRIAGE|Willesden Diagnostic Centre|Imperial NHS Trust|RYJ

Reporting

Results go back directly to the GP on the day of testing via an NHS.net email provided on the referral form.

Future plans

  • Opening of Ealing Community Diagnostic Centre, this will be run by the London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust.
  • Extended opening hours to include evenings and weekends.

Further information and contact details

The Wembley and Willesden Community Diagnostic Centre are run by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.

For more detailed information please see our locations.

If you have an enquiry about a referral please contact our referral team by emailing: ICHC-TR.imperialreferrals@nhs.net

For all other enquiries, please contact the GP hotline by calling 020 3313 5060 or email the GP liaison team: gpliaison.imperial@nhs.net

You can also download this information here

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