Faster Diagnosis Standard

NHS England and NHS Improvement have set out their NHS Cancer Programme Strategic approach to the faster diagnosis of cancer which, in particular, will bring together the separate objectives relating to Rapid Diagnostic Centres (RDCs) and the Faster Diagnosis Standard best practice timed pathways.

The faster diagnosis programme will now be the umbrella term used to describe:

The development of non-specific symptom pathways .
Improving existing pathways in line with the faster diagnostic principles and best practice pathways.

For patients with suspected cancer, the Faster Diagnosis Programme aims to deliver:

An earlier and faster diagnosis to patients, whether or not they are ultimately diagnosed with cancer
Excellent patient experience, a holistic assessment of patient needs and streamlined support across community, primary and secondary care.
Increased capacity in the system through more efficient diagnostic pathways.
Support systems to reach the Faster Diagnosis Standard.

In 2022/2023 the Peninsula Cancer Alliance is continuing to support the implementation of and monitoring of best practice pathways and the implementation of NSS pathways across the region.

Non-Specific Symptom Pathway

Why NSS ?

Set up for patients who presented with non-specific symptoms that could indicate several different cancers but didn’t have an established effective referral pathway.
As a result, these patients often went back and forth between primary and secondary care which lead to delays in diagnosis, higher rates of late stage and/or emergency presentation and poorer outcomes for the patient.
Since 2019, new NSS services have been rolled out across England including the South West to provide a dedicated urgent diagnostic pathway for this cohort of patients.

Please Click here for more information

Best practice Pathways

Since 2018, Best Practice Timed Pathways (BPTPs) have been developed by expert clinical “task and finish” groups. These groups have outlined the best evidenced structure and timing of various tumour-specific pathways to meet the Faster Diagnosis Standard.

These BPTPs identify specific clinical events and tests for patients referred with defined NG12 symptoms.

Delivery of the timed pathways will support the highest quality care for patients and reduce variation in patients accessing diagnostics, improving treatment options and outcomes.

The Peninsula Cancer Alliance is engaging with key stakeholders from across the region to understand current challenges involved in implementing the programme and where elements could be improved with further development or clarification.

Delivery and implementation of optimal timed pathways support the faster diagnosis standard to will improve times to treatment, and reduce variation across the alliance .

Please see Best Practice pathways below :

Current published pathways include prostate, lung, colorectal, oesophago-gastric, head and neck, gynaecological and skin.

NHS England » Rapid cancer diagnostic and assessment pathways

Further Information

Faster Diagnosis Standard

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