Modern screening should be more personalised and convenient

A new report has claimed that the NHS has the opportunity to upgrade cancer screening to save thousands more lives each year, and make modern screening more convenient.

Professor Sir Mike Richards, the NHS’ first cancer director, has made recommendations on overhauling national screening programmes, as part of a new NHS drive for earlier diagnosis and improved cancer survival. He has called for people to be given much greater choice over when and where they are screened.

This could mean women being able to choose appointments at doctors’ surgeries, health centres or locations close to their work during lunchtime or other breaks rather than having to attend their own GP practice. Additionally, Richards says that local screening services should put on extra evening and weekend appointments for breast, cervical and other cancer checks.

His report also called for more to be done to drive uptake through social media campaigns and text reminders, calling for local initiatives that have successfully boosted uptake to be rolled out nationwide.

The NHS is currently upgrading the cervical screening programme with the introduction of ‘primary HPV’ which will reduce the number cervical smears that NHS labs need to review. Richards is also recommended a major overhaul to the design of screening programmes.

His report also calls for: all screening programmes, patients should receive results within a standard timetable; the establishment of a single advisory body, bringing together the current functions of the UK National Screening Committee on population screening and NICE on screening for people at elevated risk of serious conditions; NHS England to become the single body responsible for commissioning and delivery of screening services, ending any existing confusion on who does what; and for breast screening providers to aim to invite people at 34-month intervals after their previous appointment so that all participants can be screened within 36 months.

Richards said: “Screening programmes are a vital way for the NHS to save more lives through prevention and earlier diagnosis and currently they save around 10,000 lives every year – that is something to be immensely proud of. Yet we know that they are far from realising their full potential – people live increasingly busy lives and we need to make it as easy and convenient as possible for people to attend these important appointments. The recommendations in this report are intended to help deliver the commitments set out in the NHS Long Term Plan and will hopefully save even more lives.”

Simon Stevens, NHS chief executive said: “I’m grateful to Sir Mike for taking on this important assignment. His sensible recommendations keep all that is good about NHS screening services, while rightly setting out a blueprint for more convenient access, upgraded technology, and progressively more tailored approaches to early diagnosis. He is also right to point to the need to align the expert advice offered to the NHS, and streamline and simplify accountabilities for operational delivery.”