Millions of cancer patients are gonna be benefiting from quicker diagnosis as their old-school NHS records are getting gathered in one spot on a fresh digital platform. Cancer 360, a brand-new tool that’s gonna be rolled out throughout the service soon, is bringing all the cancer patients’ data into one central system. This way, clinicians can prioritize those who need it the most and see patients faster, according to the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).
The £26bn tech upgrade is gonna be helping out millions of patients in the next five to 10 years by moving existing old-school systems and their data into a digital one. This means that staff won’t have to be running around trying to find important info about each cancer patient from different spreadsheets, emails, and records. Technology Secretary Peter Kyle mentioned how relying on “archaic pen-and-paper systems” could literally be a matter of life and death. Imagine waiting for an appointment just because a post-it note lost its stick or a piece of paper went missing. Scary stuff, right?
The new tech is gonna be slashing waiting times and saving lives, all part of their plan for change, as Kyle added. It’s been said that trusts won’t have to use the tool, but any that aren’t meeting the cancer treatment target might need to think about giving it a shot. And what’s that target, you ask? Well, it’s making sure that 85% of patients start their treatment within 62 days of referral. Seems like a big deal, right? Not really sure why this matters, but apparently it’s super important.
Aside from helping patients get diagnosed quicker, the DHSC mentioned how Cancer 360 is gonna be cutting down on treatment delays and boosting survival rates. Dr. Vin Diwakar, NHS national clinical transformation director, talked about how Cancer 360 is gonna be giving clinicians a “comprehensive view of patient pathways” and how it’s gonna be bringing about “meaningful improvements in both treatment times and patient experience” as it goes nationwide. Sounds like a game-changer, doesn’t it?
The tech even helped one of the trusts during the pilot phase meet the faster diagnosis standard. This standard says that three-quarters of patients should get a diagnosis or ruling out of cancer within 28 days of referral. Suraiya Abdi, consultant obstetrician, and gynaecologist at Chelsea and Westminster Foundation Trust, mentioned how Cancer 360 has been a huge help, allowing staff to safely guide patients through their cancer journey. She also noted how it’s reduced the admin time spent by their cancer team, boosting performance, team spirit, and most importantly, patient experience.
Overall, Cancer 360 seems like it’s gonna be a game-changer for cancer patients and clinicians alike. Not really sure why it took so long to get a system like this in place, but hey, better late than never, right? Let’s hope this new tech lives up to the hype and actually makes a difference in the lives of those battling cancer.
