Briefing: improving diagnostic services

Two other important factors in the early diagnosis of cancer include access to diagnostic technologies and the length of time that patients have to wait following a referral for further investigation. Both these issues have received Government attention in 2008/09.

The Cancer Reform Strategy (CRS) identified improving access to diagnostics as the single most important priority in primary care to improve the early diagnosis of cancer.

In June 2008, the government published its strategic plans for the NHS - High Quality Care For All. Based on a year long review of the NHS carried out by Lord Darzi, one of the Government’s Health Ministers and also a leading surgeon, the strategy proposes a number of key themes, including supporting people to stay healthy; extending choice into primary care; embedding quality at the heart of the NHS; and working in partnership with NHS staff.

Within the review, there is a clear emphasis on patient choice and the publication of information to drive up the quality of NHS services.

Cancer Research UK contributed to the development of this review, highlighting the need to ensure that results of diagnostic tests are efficiently fed into multi-disciplinary team meetings to inform the care and management of individual patients.

Lord Darzi’s review also includes a draft NHS Constitution which is open for consultation during summer 2008. The Constitution sets out the principles and values on which NHS care is based; and the commitments to patients, public and staff in the form of rights to which they are entitled, pledges which the NHS will strive to deliver, and responsibilities which the public, patients and staff. The Constitution will be renewed every 10 years.