Diagnostics

Diagnostics are medical tests or procedures used to identify the cause of symptoms and confirm a person’s disease or condition. They are an essential component of a patient’s healthcare pathway and more than 85% of people seeking care require diagnostics. There are many different types of diagnostic tests. Some of these include Imaging (such as X-Ray, CT scans and MRI), Laboratory tests (such as blood and urine), Endoscopy (used to view inside a persons body) and Physiological (such as blood pressure and ECG).

Diagnostics has a critical role in preventive health by improving early detection of illness and prompt diagnosis can save lives – for example, early diagnosis of cancer substantially improves survival rates.

As part of the NHS Long Term Plan, recommendations were provided that significant reform and investment in diagnostic services was needed. In response to this, Community Diagnostic Centres emerged, and continue to do so. They will increase and optimise diagnostics capacity, so people are diagnosed more quickly and access to treatment is provided sooner. Diagnostic services are integral to reducing waiting times for people to access elective care services (see Elective care – Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, ICS).

In Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, we are committed to making improvements to our diagnostic services and our 5-year (2025-2030) Clinical Diagnostic Strategy is now published.

This strategy has been prepared by the partners of the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent NHS Integrated Care System specifically to serve the population of Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. It is a shared strategy that requires partnership working and collaboration in order that patients get the best possible diagnostic care and support that they need, when they need it. It articulates how we will support the development and future-preparedness of our diagnostic services and places services in a position to respond effectively to both current and future demand for diagnostics.

The strategy outlines 7 Key Areas of Focus which set the key tasks ‘We Will’ undertake to fulfil our ambition of achieving long-term sustainable transformation of our diagnostic services which will lead to a positive impact on both our population health and in reducing health inequalities.