13th July 2023
Diagnostic tests play a pivotal role in identifying and addressing medical conditions, and signposting what’s next for patients on their given pathway. Yet many NHS trusts grapple with a common predicament: how to meet their diagnostic test targets. Only 69% of patients have been seen within the six-week window target — as opposed to 99%. So, why is this target consistently being missed and what can be done about it?
The ever-increasing demand for diagnostic tests often outpaces the resources available within NHS Trusts. That leads to longer wait times which, in turn, affects the ability to meet targets.
From equipment to skilled personnel, resource availability is a significant factor. Healthcare professionals are the backbone of diagnostic testing. With unprecedented staff shortages in the NHS — 43,000 vacancies for nursing staff alone — they simply don’t have enough staff to run at full capacity. That, coupled with financial constraints impacting the purchase of advanced x-ray equipment, capability for conducting tests is severely limited.
To tackle some of these resource issues, the government announced plans for new community diagnostic centres (CDCs) across England — with a plan for up to 160 CDCs supporting the NHS in conducting 17 million tests by March 2025. With 127 centres currently operational, and plans to reach the full 160 by 2024, we can see progress. But, without effective coordination of a wide geographic area, more capacity may increase complexity for patients managing their healthcare journey.
There’s also an imperative for improved systems to seamlessly coordinate non-clinical components and logistical aspects — for a cohesive and patient-centric experience, even when involving multiple organisations.
Shortages in key roles such as radiologists, radiographers, and laboratory staff, have extended waiting times for diagnostic tests and interpretations, affecting patient outcomes. There’s also a pressing need to bridge the expertise gap in specialised areas of diagnostics.
To address the requirement for a comprehensive staffing approach, the NHS Workforce Plan has outlined strategies for recruitment, retention, training, and workforce planning. However, this is not a short-term fix — with its effects being seen over a longer period of time.
The COVID-19 pandemic massively disrupted the NHS in terms of what it could offer as a service, redirecting resources and focus away from routine diagnostic testing, and this effect will be felt for many years to come.
The coordination of appointments, managing patient flow, and ensuring timely delivery of tests, can be complex — particularly when dealing with a high volume of cases and complex healthcare structures. The lack of adequate technology infrastructure in the NHS hinders process efficiency. As in the case of manual data entry and appointment management, which is admin intensive for staff. And patients aren’t dealt with quickly, leading to poor expectancies and even worsening conditions due to inherent delays.
When it comes to many diagnostic tests, such as CT and MRI scans, there is a need to capture safety information e.g., reminders about fasting when dyes are involved. Patients also need to be reassured about the procedure, given as much information as possible, so they don’t back out of a procedure feeling scared and unprepared.
If we look at what we can do reasonably quickly, a digital solution is one of the key options to help meet government targets. A patient portal platform would allow patients to take a more proactive role in their healthcare journey, and ease strain on NHS trusts.
If we look at what we can do reasonably quickly, a digital solution is one of the key options to help meet government targets.
While challenges persist in meeting diagnostic test targets within the NHS, embracing new digital solutions could be a transformative step forward. By providing a consistent platform for enhanced patient engagement, streamlined communication, and efficient resource management, such technology can play a key role in alleviating existing pressures and preparing for the future.
90% of outpatient appointments require some form of diagnostic test, so any delay in these tests can lead to postponed treatments. This impacts patient outcomes. Against the backdrop of waiting lists of 7.6 million, diagnostic performance emerges as a critical concern.
To optimise the outpatient pathway in the NHS, it is crucial to focus on solutions that streamline communication, empower patients and ultimately improve the overall healthcare experience. By implementing innovative technology and tools, hospitals can better manage referrals, appointment bookings and post-appointment support.
Through strategic implementation of technology, forward-thinking leaders have the power to transform the enduring struggle of patients waiting for healthcare services on the NHS. We explore the pressing need for patients to “wait well”
As we stumbled into 2023, the NHS, across the whole of the country was still facing the formidable task of tackling the backlog of patient appointments accumulated during the Covid-19 pandemic at a time of extreme unfunded inflationary pressures.
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