Long waiting times for test results for NHS patients

Abstract

www.thelancet.com/oncology Vol 17 July 2016 e274 Around 230 000 patients in England wait longer than a month for the results of CT scans, MRI scans, or x-rays according to a new survey by the Royal College of Radiologists. This number includes more than 12 000 waiting for the results of CT or MRI scans. The researchers asked 155 National Health Service (NHS) trusts in England the question “on Monday 29 February, 2016, how many studies (x-ray, CT, and MRI) in your picture archiving and communi cations system were unreported for 31 days or more?” Answers were received from 126 (81%) trusts. Of these, 94 (75%) trusts had a backlog of tests. 3583 patients were awaiting the results of CT scans, an increase of 24% on the figures for February, 2015. 6316 patients were awaiting the results of MRI scans, an increase of 93% since the previous February. An additional 176 909 patients were awaiting the results of x-rays. Scaling up the results to include estimates for the 29 trusts that did not answer yielded a total of 12 178 patients awaiting either CT or MRI scan results. The backlog has forced radiology departments in England to increasingly rely upon outsourcing companies and radiologists working beyond their contracted hours, the cumulative cost of which rose by 57% from £47·0 million to £73·8 million between 2014 and 2015. “We have systematically failed to invest in radiology and other diagnostic services for at least a decade now”, explained Giles Maskell (Royal College of Radiologists, London, UK). “We are not keeping pace with the increasing demand—we do not have enough machines, and we do not have anywhere near enough radiologists or radiographers”. NHS England has now missed its target to have 85% of cancer patients start treatment within 62 days of urgent GP referral for nine consecutive quarters. “The Royal College of Radiologists survey highlights some of the issues behind this delay”, said Sara Bainbridge (Cancer Research UK, London, UK). “We are conscious of the signal that cancer waiting times and delayed diagnosis might give as an indication of a health service under pressure”. The UK Government aims to have 95% of patients with suspected cancer diagnosed within 28 days of GP referral by 2020. This will require a much faster turnaround of scan results than is occurring at present. “We have still not heard how the government is planning to achieve that”, said Maskell. “We need long-term sustainable solutions—training more people, doing more to keep hold of staff , and recruiting from overseas”.