The Government has today announced that 100 Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) in England will now offer out of hours services, 12 hours a day, seven days a week. This means that more patients will be able to access vital tests, scans and checks around patients often busy schedules, including MRI and ultrasound scans.
Patients can be referred to community diagnostic centres via their GP or hospital based clinical teams. The NHS is also making it easier for GPs to refer directly to CDCs via schemes like GP Direct Access, and developing more activity involving CDCs, so patients can have their diagnostic test ahead of meeting their consultant, aiming to reduce the number of outpatient appointments they need to attend.
Endometriosis UK says: “We welcome today’s announcement for Community Diagnostic Centres in England to offer out of hours services. Making it easier for people to access scans will only be a positive move for endometriosis patients. However, this relies on healthcare practitioners having the right training, knowledge and understanding of menstrual health conditions including endometriosis, to spot common symptoms and to ensure patient needs are met. Advances in scanning (ultrasound and MRI) allows certain types of endometriosis to be diagnosed, but a negative scan does not mean you don’t have endometriosis, and those with symptoms should be referred to gynaecology services for further investigation. Currently the only definitive way to have a diagnosis is through laparoscopic surgery.
It currently takes on average a shocking near 9 years to get a diagnosis of endometriosis in the UK, and receiving an early diagnosis is essential for helping manage the condition. We know that not only can the disease worsen if left untreated, but it can also have a significant impact on every aspect of someone’s life including their mental health, relationships, career and fertility. We hope that this focus on community diagnostics will lead to quicker diagnosis of menstrual health conditions including endometriosis, resulting in a reduction in waiting times and consequently help lead to better health outcomes for patients.
Its success for endometriosis patients also relies on cross team communication and ensuring patient records are kept up to date and necessary referrals are made and communicated effectively with patients and across NHS teams”.
