Attain was commissioned by Thames Valley Cancer Alliance to:

  • Review diagnostic demand and capacity across five acute cancer providers and five CCGs, in pathology, radiology and endoscopy
  • Establish the current diagnostics demand and gauge how much of this activity is cancer related
  • Establish the current diagnostics capacity, including workforce, machines and physical space, in order to better identify Trust pressures or spare capacity
  • Model future diagnostics demand over 5 years and model the associated capacity requirements

What We did

  • Analysing multiple data sources and held in-depth interviews with local operational and management teams at each Trust and CCG to verify and contextualise the analysis and findings

  • Each CCG and Trust radiology and endoscopy department were provided with a detailed demand and capacity report, including modelled future demand and recommendations for local performance improvement initiatives.

  • Findings were aggregated at the Cancer Alliance level, where opportunities for sharing good practice and maximising the use of existing resources across the larger footprint were explored in detail.

Outcomes

  • Built a common understanding of diagnostic provision across the Acute Trust and private providers commissioned by CCGs.

  • Optimised the utilisation of each Trust’s diagnostic capacity and performance through the comprehensive review of their performance, demand and capacity

  • Improved system working across TVCA by creating a like-for-like comparison of each Trust and identifying fruitful opportunities to collaborate through shared capacity and learning.

  • Provided an ambitious plan for improving the management of demand and capacity across the Cancer Alliance, to improve the system’s sustainability and continuity of care for patients.