Lancashire and South Cumbria patients benefit from faster lung cancer test results

Patients across Lancashire and South Cumbria are benefitting from new equipment that has reduced the wait to receive lung cancer test results.

The equipment, which means molecular testing of lung cancers can take place on the Blackpool Victoria Hospital site rather than be sent away, was bought following £100,000 of funding from the Lancashire and South Cumbria Cancer Alliance.

The funding was provided after the project team submitted a bid outlining how they planned to reduce the turnaround time of a number of lung cancer tests. Previously these specialist test results took 7-10 days because they were sent away for testing, but the team is now testing on-site.

Helen Sanna, Senior Biomedical Scientist at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, said: “This change will enable clinicians to have access to complete results sooner. This means treatment decisions can be made earlier, benefiting patients and improving patient’s 62 day pathway.

“I have found the project challenging, interesting and rewarding. It has been a lot of hard work as the standards we have to conform to when performing tests are extremely thorough.

“New tests and drugs are being launched all the time and we hope that we can continue to offer our patients in the region the most up to date tests in a timely manner which allows them to access the treatment they need as soon as possible.”

These tests are performed at Blackpool Victoria Hospital for other Trusts across Lancashire, saving time, money and improving the patient experience. The wait times for the test results has reduced to less than 5 days and is an excellent example of working collaboratively across sites for the benefit of patients.