A new network of centres to tackle a backlog of people waiting for tests and scans are being opened as it emerged 14,000 more patients in Kent joined the waiting list in the past 12 months.

The 10 new community diagnostic centres (CDCs) have been approved by the government to open including ones in Minster-on-Sea and Rochester which will be delivering CT scans, MRIs and X-rays.

These new facilities are due to open at Sheppey Community Hospital in Minster-on-Sea and the Rochester Healthy Living Centre in Delce Road but won't be running until early 2025.

The government says the centres will help catch up to the Covid backlog by speeding up access to lifesaving tests with the Department for Health and Social Care reporting there had been 400,000 procedures delivered by the existing centres in the South East since July 2021.

But NHS England data shows there are still 57,956 people in Kent and Medway who are still waiting for diagnostic tests and procedures, and 21.6% have a wait time of six weeks or more while 4,735 have been waiting longer than 13 weeks.

This has increased by more than 14,000 compared to the same time last year when a total of 43,841 people were on the waiting list.

Of those people waiting in July – according to figures published in September – there were 12,944 waiting for MRIs and 7,695 for CT scans. There was no separate data on NHS England relating specifically to X-rays.

Health and social care secretary Thérèse Coffey said: "My number one priority is delivering for patients and we’re getting on with the job of tackling the issues that affect people most - ambulances, backlogs, care, doctors and dentists.

"Today I’m announcing the approval of 10 new community diagnostic centres which are helping to bust the Covid backlogs by delivering vital tests, checks and scans in local areas.

"They delivered over two million checks over the past year, diagnosing conditions from cancer to lung disease – and we’re on track to open up to 160 centres across the country by 2025, delivering an additional 17 million checks."

These community diagnostic centres are backed by £2.3 billion in government funding and offer a range of services in the heart of communities.

They are based in community settings like shopping centres, and house a range of equipment, including MRI, CT, X-ray and ultrasound scanners. They also offer services including blood tests or heart rhythm and blood pressure monitoring.

Once referred by a GP, pharmacist or hospital, patients can access these centres in their local area and get symptoms checked.

The NHS plans to go further, including eliminating waits of over 18 months by April 2023, over 15 months by March 2024, and over a year by March 2025.

NHS medical director for transformation, Vin Diwakar, said: "It is testament to the hard work of staff across the NHS that we have now delivered more than two millions tests and checks at our one stop shops and latest figures show we have the lowest number of patients waiting for tests and checks since we published our elective recovery plan in February.

"We know that rapid diagnosis saves lives, and it is great news that more of these centres have been approved to provide checks and scans in the heart of local communities, making services more accessible and convenient while also helping to improve outcomes for patients with cancer and other serious conditions."