‘Life saving’ rapid test not available at most CDCs

Patients are facing “unnecessary and worrying” waits because a rapid heart failure test is not available at most of the NHS’s 169 community diagnostic centres (CDC), experts have told HSJ.

An analysis by HSJ of data from the Alliance for Heart Failure found that as of October 2024 virtually no trusts and ICBs reported offering rapid NT-proBNP in their CDCs.

The rapid version gives a result with minutes, while a regular test must be sent away to a lab for analysis.

The research, exclusively shared with HSJ, also found that CDCs offering the rapid NT-proBNP test are mainly located on hospital-based sites – and not in the community.

A further 14 trusts operating across 10 integrated care systems said that the rapid test is, or might be, added to their CDC offer.

The Royal College of Pathologists and the British Society for Echocardiography have both called for it to be made available in all CDCs. They have claimed this would cut unnecessary waits for patients, reduce inappropriate referrals and ease pressure on diagnostic services. 

“This is an essential test which should be available in all CDCs”, said Dan Augustine, president of the British Society for Echocardiography.

“Many people who are suspected of having heart failure are currently referred for echocardiograms. For those who do not have heart failure, this means an unnecessary and potentially worrying wait. It also puts added pressure on already struggling echocardiographers.”

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Source: HSJ, 19 May 2025