Sponsored by News
Government’s tech reform to transform cancer diagnosis
Millions of cancer patients will receive a faster diagnosis, helping cut treatment delays and boost survival rates as the government rolls out pioneering new technology across the NHS through the Plan for Change. Currently, over two million people living with cancer face a complex journey of tests, appointments, or treatments. But a trailblazing new tool – dubbed Cancer 360 – brings all that data into one central system, so clinicians can prioritise those most in need and see patients quicker – with the technology set to benefit millions over the next 5-10 years. The government says that Cancer 360
represents “the crucial reform that must accompany investment”, shifting the NHS from
analogue to digital, by creating a simple dashboard showing clinicians all the information they need about their patients in one place. Instead of having to gather vital information about each cancer patient from various systems, spreadsheets, emails, and records. The real-time tool will help teams to easily track a patient’s progress, avert delays, and even produce personalised treatment plans. It is expected to dramatically reduce paperwork and help ensure vital warning signs aren’t missed. Suraiya Abdi, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Chelsea and Westminster Foundation Trust, said: “The implementation of Cancer 360 has enabled my team to monitor and safely carry our patients through their cancer pathway. The tool enables us to have in depth conversations at our weekly meetings regarding a patient’s next step, as well as allowing us to escalate queries directly to other teams for faster turnaround. “The tool has reduced the amount of admin time
spent by our cancer team therefore enabling them to focus on the patient journey. I have witnessed an improvement in performance, team spirit and most importantly patient experience.” Dr. Tom Roques, Vice-President for Clinical Oncology at the Royal College of Radiologists, said: “We are pleased to see the government taking decisive action to harness technology. We hope this will support both patients and clinicians – and ultimately, improve cancer outcomes for the UK.”
Gaps in NHS care for
patients who are deaf A majority of individuals who are deaf or have hearing loss face significant communication barriers when accessing care, with nearly two- thirds of patients missing half or more of vital information shared during appointments. A team of researchers, led by the University of
Cambridge and the British Society of Audiology, surveyed over 550 people who are deaf or have hearing loss about their experiences with the NHS. Their findings, reported in the journal PLOS One, highlight systemic failures. Despite being a legal requirement under the Accessible Information Standards, NHS patients have inadequate and inconsistent access to British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters and other accessibility accommodations such as hearing loop systems. Nearly two-thirds (64.4%) reported missing at least half of the important information during appointments, and only a third (32%) expressed satisfaction with NHS staff communication skills. Respondents said they had to rely on family members to communicate with healthcare workers, raising privacy and consent concerns. The research found communication barriers across the entire patient journey – from booking appointments to receiving results. Patients said they fear missing their name being called, or avoid making appointments altogether. These experiences were found to be a systemic issue.
Breakthrough could significantly improve TB detection
A new strategy for tuberculosis (TB) screening, proposed by a team of researchers led by Queen Mary University of London, could provide a solution to problems with current TB screening, which does not always accurately detect disease. Simultaneously screening for both active and dormant TB infection could save lives, curtail infection rates, and rewrite the story of the continued spread of this disease. Researchers hope that this new approach will inform guidance from global health organisations and key decision- makers on the most effective way to screen for TB. A team led by Dr. Dominik Zenner, Clinical Reader in Infectious Disease Epidemiology at Queen Mary, analysed the efficacy of combinations of commonly used tests for TB. Their study, published in the European Respiratory Journal, examined data on 13 different TB tests as described in 437 original studies and published systematic reviews. These data were then used to estimate how good screening tests are at both correctly identifying TB
12
www.clinicalservicesjournal.com I June 2025
and avoiding false positive results. Unlike previous studies, the researchers found
that including some immunological tests for dormant TB infection (TBI tests) added value to TB screening algorithms. TBI tests could also support earlier diagnosis of harder to detect TB, including extrapulmonary TB (disease that occurs outside the patient’s lungs) or TB in children. This novel approach challenges existing
protocols for TB testing, which reserve TBI tests for diagnosing dormant TB only. Importantly, combining diagnostic tests for both dormant and active TB would allow for both forms of the disease to be detected concurrently. This opportunity to improve detection of TB across large populations is of interest to policy makers and public health organisations, including WHO and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Dr. Zenner said: “Global TB control requires early identification and treatment of TB in risk groups. Our novel screening algorithms show that
screening for active and dormant TB can be done simultaneously with high accuracy for migrants from countries where TB is common to improve individual and population benefits.” View the full paper at: https://doi. org/10.1183/13993003.02000-2024
Rido -
stock.adobe.com
Dr_Microbe -
stock.adobe.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68
