Staff and patients at CHEC Stevenage were celebrating this week after the community-based healthcare provider marked a whole year of working in partnership with the NHS to increase patient choice and reduce waiting times.

Since first opening its doors in May 2023, CHEC Stevenage has provided ophthalmology and gastroenterology services to more than 6,300 patients and completed over 3000 cataract surgeries. The community hospital has also succeeded in consistently maintaining very low waiting times, with patients currently able to access most treatments within one week.

“I didn’t know much about CHEC before, but now I know it very well, and I feel everyone should know about CHEC!” says Robert Thatcher, CHEC Stevenage patient. “The entire team is so kind and supportive, they really made me feel at ease. Absolutely fantastic service, and such friendly faces. I have lived in Stevenage for over 25 years and have been seen by many hospitals, but none of them compare to CHEC. They really show they care, and are not there to just get you in and out as quickly as possible, unlike a lot of places I have been treated at. Fantastic!”

“It’s hard to believe it’s only a year ago that we welcomed our first patients to CHEC Stevenage,” comments Amy Notschild, Hospital Manager. “We’d like to thank the local community for choosing CHEC, trusting us to deliver the highest standards of care, and for joining us to celebrate our first anniversary this week!”

Over the last 12 months, CHEC Stevenage has pioneered a series of initiatives that make it easier for patients to access its community-based healthcare services. These include a free Home to Hospital™ pick up service and an online patient booking app.

“Patient choice and reducing waiting times are at the forefront of the NHS agenda. Working in partnership with the NHS, we constantly look for new ways to make it easier for patients to exercise that choice and access the treatment they need,” continues Amy.

CHEC has established a stronghold for community healthcare provision across the Home Counties, with hospitals in Basingstoke, Milton Keynes, and Watford. Throughout the UK, CHEC now has more than 25 hospitals.