A new community hospital will be opening in Swindon later this year.

A vacant unit in Dorcan's Edison Park is being transformed into a healthcare hub that aims to reduce NHS waiting times by providing extra access to ophthalmology and gastroenterology services for people in the area.

Community healthcare provider CHEC is working in partnership with the NHS to manage this East Swindon site, which is being fitted with state-of-the-art equipment, including one ophthalmology theatre and one endoscopy suite, to offer care for issues related to patients' eyes and digestive systems.

CHEC's chief commercial officer Jose Bailey said: “Patient choice, exceptional care and equity of access are central to CHEC’s operations and ethos, which is why we’re proud to collaborate with NHS partners nationwide, helping to keep waiting times to a minimum while delivering the very best quality of care.

“For well over a decade, we’ve been trusted by the NHS to deliver healthcare services free of charge for local people, and we can’t wait to open our doors and become part of the Swindon community this summer.

"In the meantime, we’d welcome any residents to get in touch and learn more about how we work with the NHS to make much-needed treatments more readily accessible.”

Upon opening, treatments in both specialties will be within four weeks of receipt of referral. Register interest by emailing engagement@chec.uk