On Friday, 30th January, CHFT and The University of Huddersfield welcomed guests to The Emily Siddon Building, the second facility on the National Health Innovation Campus, which is also home to the new Southgate Community Diagnostic Centre.
Over 50 visitors attended a preview tour of the new building, including the CDC.
The new Southgate CDC will start welcoming patients in early February, offering a wide range of diagnostic testing, such as X-Rays, CT and MRI scans, out of hospital in a convenient location.
The multi-purpose building contains specialist clinical teaching facilities and a Health Business Innovation Centre. First through the doors were students from the University’s Diagnostic Radiography and Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy courses.
With state-of-the-art simulation technology and access to the CDC, students will benefit from learning in a realistic environment, preparing them for their future careers. An MRI simulation scanner that students will use on the first floor is the first of its kind in the UK.
The partnership between the University and CHFT is one of the first CDCs on a university campus in the UK.
It is CHFT's second CDC, following on from the opening of the highly successful CDC in Halifax in the summer of 2024, which welcomes more than 2,000 patients every week.
Director of Operations, Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, Sarah Clenton, said, “It is fantastic to be able to open our Southgate Community Diagnostic Centre to patients in early February. This preview event was an opportunity to show how we have created a calm, welcoming environment, for our patients, right in the heart of Huddersfield.
“Once open, our CDC will give patients a choice to have a range of diagnostic tests, including X-Rays, CT scans, MRI and Ultrasound, out of hospital and closer to home. Because we will be able to offer more tests, we know people can be diagnosed and treated sooner.
“Being a vital part of the National Health Innovation Campus will also give students the opportunity to gain valuable experience working alongside CHFT colleagues.”
The 6,800m² facility, designed by architects AHR and built by Kier, is adjacent to the Daphne Steele Building on Southgate, which opened in the autumn of 2024. It is named after Emily Siddon, the healthcare advocate who spent most of her life in nearby Honley, and who strove to improve healthcare and equality for the local population in several prestigious roles that had previously been reserved for men in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
The Emily Siddon Building will also be home to a Health Business Innovation Centre for local entrepreneurs or start-ups and organisations looking to benefit from locating with the University on the campus. The Centre is supported by the West Yorkshire Mayor and Combined Authority through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. It will be operated by the award-winning team responsible for the University’s 3M Buckley Innovation Centre.
Following on from the Daphne Steele Building achieving Platinum Level WELL Certification, the Emily Siddon Building has also been built to a Platinum WELL standard. This standard prioritises the health and wellbeing of those using the building through air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and mind.
Professor Bob Cryan CBE, University of Huddersfield Vice-Chancellor, said, “The Emily Siddon Building is another wonderful example of the University’s ethos of offering practical, real-world learning to students that will enable them to meet the needs of the country’s healthcare workforce.
“The Community Diagnostic Centre will also make a real difference to the health and wellbeing of people in the area and demonstrates how the University plays an integral part in the life of the region.”
Dan Doherty, regional director of Kier Construction North & Scotland, said: “Delivering the Emily Siddon Building has been a truly collaborative effort and it is a fantastic addition to the University of Huddersfield’s National Health Innovation Campus.
“From design through to completion, the focus has been on quality, sustainability and long-term value. We are proud to hand over a building that provides students with real-world learning opportunities whilst supporting Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust to address the healthcare needs of the local community.”