Health Foundation August 2017
- The RAPID programme is a patient-focused approach to early diagnosis of lung cancer, developed at the University of Manchester NHS FT, aiming to ensure all patients have a clear diagnosis within seven days of referral.
- The programme has evaluated over 1,000 referrals since March 2016 and has embedded:
- next day access to CT scanning for GP two-week wait referrals
- daily triage of referrals with a CT scan and same day confirmation of no cancer
- integrated nursing and navigation support for patients requiring investigation
- a clear investigation plan on first clinic attendance with all appointments pre-booked
- a RAPID hub, with dedicated patient and physician contact details.
- The key successes of the programme include:
- elimination of two-week waits and 31-day breaches
- increased number of CT scans performed by day seven (92% of GP referrals)
- reduced time from GP referral to outpatient clinic, with a fully reported CT scan, from an average of ten days to four days
- increased MDT discussions by day 14 from GP referral by 42%, and by day 21 by 77%
- absence of cancer confirmed on the day of CT scan (previously an average six-day wait)
- improved patient experience and satisfaction, despite the pathway’s increased speed.
- The RAPID programme is now an established service within UHSM.
