NHS patients won't have to wait so long to get their test results when a diagnosis centre opens in a never-used 999 call centre in Taunton.

Construction has started on Rutherford Diagnostics' state-of-the-art facility at Zenith Fire Control Centre, on Blackbrook Park Avenue.

It is expected to be operational by late next year.

The Taunton project, being constructed by Keir, will be the first such facility for Rutherford Diagnostics and will offer computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, X-ray and other relevant diagnostic services.

The company has agreed a partnership with Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Musgrove Park Hospital, to provide its services to the trust for 10 years.

The centre will also be available to private medical insurance and self-pay patients in the South West.

The building, which has remained empty since it was built in 2007, has haemorrhaged way over £20million of taxpayers' money after government plans for regional fire control centres was ditched.

Dr Steven Powell, chief diagnostics officer at Rutherford Diagnostics, said: "The centre will be a vital addition to the region’s diagnostic capacity.

"Diagnostics centres such as ours are all the more important now given the impact of Covid-19 on testing and screening for various diseases.

"This centre will play an important role in increasing the amount of diagnostic tests that are available to patients across Somerset, supporting earlier diagnosis."

David Shannon, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust’s director of strategic development and improvement, said: "Many of our patients will be able to receive their diagnostic tests at another modern facility away from the excellent unit at Musgrove Park Hospital.

"We have also agreed with Rutherford Diagnostics that there will be exciting opportunities for our colleagues to work at the new centre while maintaining their employment with us.

"Across the NHS more patients are being referred for specialist diagnostic tests.

"In an effort to keep pace with this growing demand, we have also recently invested in additional and upgraded MRI and CT scanners at Musgrove Park Hospital.

"But even with these measures, our provision of scanning will not keep pace with demand in the future.

"Our waiting times for some diagnostic tests are too long, which has been made even more challenging during the pandemic.

"We want to do better for our patients and believe that our partnership with Rutherford Diagnostics will help us to do this."