Diagnostics hubs are the key to tackling the NHS crisis

Jack Tabner, VP of strategy at Thriva Solutions explains how technology can reduce the burden of chronic illness.

The government’s announcement of 19 new community diagnostic centres (CDCs) is a big step in the right direction. Speeding up access to vital diagnostics and bolstering existing NHS capacity to deliver tests and scans, will not only help to prioritise those who need treatment now and save lives, but also help those that need to take steps to improve their health to prevent the onset of disease in the future. 

Early diagnosis, early intervention and ultimately the prevention of diseases will in turn save the NHS billions and help to address the current crisis. There is no silver bullet that will reduce pressure on the NHS overnight, but if we don’t invest in this now then we are just creating more pain and bigger problems in the future. 

Practical issues will need to be ironed out as we expand the provision of CDCs, including how we resource district hospitals and outpatient services with diagnostic equipment whilst also supplying the new CDCs with what they need. Some creative, joined-up thinking could see underused retail outlets and spaces on high streets repurposed to the benefit of local economies as well as public health, as has already happened in Dorset for example, and CDCs are undoubtedly easier to get up and running quickly than the promised dozens of new hospitals. 

As ever, convenience is a vital incentive if we want to encourage more people to engage with healthcare services earlier, providing easy access to a drop-in test that then unlocks access to more complex tests and engagement with interventions going forward. 

CDCs will of course increase the number of tests taking place and reduce pressure on same day emergency care and onward admissions to inpatient care in the short-term. That is a big win in and of itself, but the real priority now must be rolling out monitoring and diagnostics at an even greater speed and scale. That means remote monitoring, better digital infrastructure, and personalised, data-driven insights. 

Any serious attempt to solve the crisis in our NHS must focus on investing in how we help prevent people from getting sick in the first place, spotting the warning signs of disease and intervening earlier to reduce pressure on stretched services. We need to deliver proactive healthcare, not just sick care once somebody is already ill. 

Take diabetes for example, which leads to more than 770 strokes and 590 heart attacks each week - placing huge strain on A&E departments and ICUs. Yet the improvement of diagnostics, monitoring and self-management would make it largely preventable. 

On a visit to a CDC in Oldham, the prime minister said that the centres oer access to tests, checks and scans “closer to people’s homes in the community, making it easier for them to access that treatment, and get it far quicker”. That is true, but we need to go further and faster to make preventive, personalised healthcare available to all in our own homes and on our phones. 

The potential gains are truly enormous if we seize on the opportunity that technology can play in reducing the burden of chronic illness - supporting us all to live healthier, longer lives whilst more effectively utilising healthcare resources and spending. 

Alongside CDCs in easily accessible locations, we need to roll out the digital infrastructure and technology-enabled services to deliver remote monitoring and diagnostics at scale. Crucially, we need to support patients to understand and act on their results so they can make changes to their lifestyles to help ward off disease. Personalised, data-driven insights and tools are now the basis of a variety of services we engage with, from managing our finances to what we watch on TV. So why not our health too? 

Imagine being able to take diagnostic tests at home and then getting the results on our phones, alongside personalised information, and advice about how to modify our lifestyles to prevent the onset of disease. That is not a pipedream - we have the technology, diagnostics infrastructure, and lab capacity in place already. 

The Prime Minister is right to emphasise the importance of offering tests close to people’s homes. But it is not just about location - we need to focus on the overall patient experience and design services around the experience of the user. Preventive services will only be used and therefore only deliver the huge potential benefits that they oer if the experience is slick, efficient, and easy for patients from start to finish. Convenience isn’t just about geographical proximity it is about putting patients at the heart of service design and the entire end-to-end experience from online booking through to follow-up information and support. 

If we focus only on scanners in retail outlets, then we will miss the opportunity to redefine how people engage with information about their help and access to support. There is no doubt that CDCs are a step in the right direction, but alongside bricks and mortar we need to also be investing in the digital infrastructure and technology to roll out the delivery of preventive healthcare, remote diagnostics, and support for patients online, in people’s homes and at their fingertips on their smartphones.