Kinnock added: “This centre will benefit tens of thousands of patients across Herefordshire and Powys with state-of-the-art diagnostics, without forcing anyone to miss the school run or a work shift.
He said the centre was one of 170 across the country “delivering much needed checks, transforming care, speeding up diagnosis and cutting waiting times”.
Trust chairman Russell Hardy said it was a “significant milestone” for NHS care in Herefordshire, and would help detect illnesses like heart conditions and cancer.
The centre had a soft launch in September, and is now open from 08:00 to 20:00 daily.
“This eases the pressure on our diagnostic facilities at Hereford County Hospital and frees them up to be used by patients, who come in via our emergency department and need urgent scans and treatment,” he said.
“It also means non-urgent patients get the diagnosis they need more quickly.”
Sarah Shingler, the trust managing director, said people would benefit from being “in a purpose-built environment away from a main hospital setting”.
So far more than 8,000 people have been referred to the centre.
