Report shows impact of Scotland’s first fast-track cancer
diagnostic services.
More than one in ten patients seen by new cancer diagnostic
services have been referred for cancer treatment, helping to
speed up treatment and improve outcomes. Patients waited an
average of 14 days from referral, to having cancer ruled in or
out.
An evaluation report into Scotland’s first Rapid Cancer
Diagnostic Services (RCDS), published by the University of
Strathclyde and the Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD), found
11.9% of patients seen over the two year period were diagnosed
with cancer. Around 6% were given a pre-cancer diagnosis, meaning
they require further monitoring in case a cancer develops, and
the remainder were either given the all clear and referred back
to primary care or diagnosed with other non-cancer conditions
(41.1% and 40.7% respectively).
The Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services, currently in place across
five Health Board areas, were established to help speed up cancer
diagnoses for patients with non-specific symptoms such as
unexplained weight loss, persistent nausea or fatigue, where the
GP has a concern of a malignancy. Over the two-year evaluation
period the services saw 2,489 patients, with more than 96% of
them giving the service a positive satisfaction rating of eight
out of 10 or more.
The report highlighted that the model delivers a quality service
at speed, is cost effective, compared to previous pathways, and
highly valued by patients and staff. Positive patient experience
is attributed to the speed of referral, reduction in waiting
times for diagnostic tests, having a single point of contact and
enhanced information and communication throughout the RCDS
pathway.
Visiting NHS Lanarkshire’s RCDS at University Hospital Wishaw,
Health Secretary said:
"Improving cancer services is a priority for the Scottish
Government, as set out in our 10-year strategy published last
year. This positive evaluation of Scotland's Rapid Cancer
Diagnostic Service provides valuable insight into their role in
achieving vital earlier cancer diagnoses and improving patient
care.
“RCDSs reflect our commitment to enhancing equitable cancer
services across NHS Scotland - this report has shown the pivotal
role they can play in early cancer detection while delivering
quality patient-centred care. As Scotland's cancer care continues
to evolve, RCDSs stand as an essential component in improving
outcomes.”
Professor Robert van der Meer, Co-Lead Author of the RCDS
Evaluation, University of Strathclyde:
"Scotland’s Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services (RCDS) are working
well. They’re achieving what they set out to do – find cancer –
while delivering a high standard of quality care at speed. RCDS
patients are complex and the specialist input that the RCDS can
offer them, and concerned primary care clinicians, marks a
gear-change in how we diagnose cancer in Scotland. RCDSs should
be used as an exemplar for cancer care with learning embedded
across all pathways.”
Mr Martin Downey, NHS Lanarkshire Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Service
Clinical Lead and Associate Medical Director for Access, said:
“The Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Service offers a timely, often
one-stop, environment for clinically complex patients with
potentially serious non-specific symptoms suspicious of cancer,
such as weight loss, fatigue, nausea and abdominal pain.
“These patients typically did not meet the criteria for existing
cancer pathways and the service makes a positive difference to
these patients, providing rapid patient centred assessment,
diagnosis and coordination of ongoing care.”
Background
To see the full report, please follow this link.
At the time of the final report’s publication, there were five
RCDS live in NHS Scotland – NHS Ayrshire & Arran, NHS
Dumfries & Galloway, NHS Fife, NHS Borders and NHS
Lanarkshire.
RCDS, modelled on the Danish Rapid Diagnostic Centres, has
transformed cancer diagnostic pathways in NHS Scotland. These
centres, built within existing NHS Scotland infrastructure,
provide expedited diagnostic services to patients with
non-specific symptoms suspicious of cancer, aiming for timely and
accurate diagnosis in a streamlined process.
Prior to Scotland’s two-year pilot, patients that did not meet
the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer, or who
presented with non-specific suspicious symptoms, would have to
have a series of tests coordinated by primary care.
Over a two-year period, RCDS received 3,616 referrals, with 2,489
(approximately 69%) accepted into the programme. The mean time to
vetting was 1.5 days.
Scottish Government policy in recent years, including the
NHS Recovery Plan,
published August 2021, Cancer Recovery Plan –
Recovery & Redesign: An Action Plan for Cancer Services,
published 2020, and most recently the Cancer Strategy for
Scotland (2023-2033), published June 2023, commit to growing
Scotland’s network of RCDS.