The third sector has come together to put forward the patient perspective and offer insight into how NHS diagnostics can be vastly improved, as leaders urge that it is “not working”.
National Voices, with the support of 58 patient charities, says that a range of measures are needed in both the short and long term to improve patient diagnosis.
By the end of March 2024, it is estimated that more than 1.6 million people were waiting for a key diagnostic test.
In its vision for the patient diagnosis process, nine recommendations have been set out to deliver significant impact both in patient care and more widely. They include:
- Adjustments and adaptations to enable access
- Provide better support while waiting
- Listen to the patient
- Better communication around diagnosis
- Make sure people have a plan
- Provide access to support groups
- Collect better data to understand the drivers of diagnostic health inequalities, and act on it rapidly
- Upskill, coordinate and ultimately increase the workforce
- New innovations must have health equity embedded from the start
“Our members from across the health and care spectrum often tell us that the process of diagnosis is not working for the people and communities they represent, leaving people anxious and uncertain of their future,” said Jacob Lant, the CEO at National Voices.
National Voices highlights that statistics point to the proportion of patients waiting six weeks or more for diagnostic tests being around 21%.
The organisation’s Vision for improving patient experience of diagnosis comes shortly after it launched People’s experience of diagnosis, which revealed a variety of challenges and inequalities in diagnosis.
Lant added: “To ensure individuals can live longer and healthier lives, it is vital that people feel well supported, listened to and empowered throughout the diagnosis process and beyond.
“We urge the next Government to follow the recommendations detailed in our vision to help improve people’s diagnosis experience and clinical outcomes.”
Image credit: iStock
