‘Unrealistic’ new targets set for cancer tests

New activity targets set for community diagnostic centres this month will not be met on current staffing levels, experts have warned.

NHS England issued the new guidance for  community diagnostic centres, which sets out the new “minimum activity levels”  target for the first time, last week.

Large CDCs must carry out 60,000 tests annually, and for standard centres, the target is 50,000, while “spoke” sites will be required to conduct 25,000 tests. Primarily, CDCs’ tests are for cancers.

The focus on the targets in previous guidance, set out in 2022, was on what type of tests each CDC was required to deliver, such as CT and MRI scans, ultrasound and plain X-ray.

Society of Radiographers president Richard Evans said that while having a “clear set of metrics” for CDCs was welcome, the new targets would not be met on “current staffing levels”.

The Royal College of Radiologists president Katharine Halliday said the targets were “ambitious” but ultimately “unrealistic”.

The NHS Confederation also said it was “concerned there are not enough staff to continue to ramp up capacity” at CDCs.

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Source: HSJ, 10 September 2024