Kingston Hospital has launched a Rapid Diagnostic Cancer Clinic to support early and faster diagnosis of cancer.
The new clinic will provide a much-needed service to patients who have non-specific symptoms which may be hard to diagnose.
Jane Stephenson (Cancer Patient Partners Group, Kingston Hospital) said: “The launch of the Rapid Diagnostic Cancer Clinic is great news for patients who may well have been struggling to receive a diagnosis for their worrying symptoms. It will help to reduce stress, speed up diagnosis and therefore save lives.”
Elizabeth Crowther (Acting Lead Nurse for Cancer and Acute Oncology Service Lead at Kingston Hospital) said: “The Rapid Diagnostic Cancer Clinic at Kingston Hospital will provide high quality personalised diagnostic care, for patients in our local community with vague symptoms that are suggestive of cancer. Previously these patients may have presented multiple times to their GP, and had several investigations and referrals to secondary care, over long periods of time. Many of these patients may have then presented at a late cancer stage to Kingston Hospital’s emergency services.
“With the new clinic in place, our local GP partners will now have a clear pathway to direct these patients to and the service will reduce the number of duplicate referrals and unnecessary attendances, whilst achieving what really matters to patients – early and faster diagnosis.”
Nic Kane (Chief Nurse at Kingston Hospital and Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare) said: “I am delighted to be expanding our cancer services here at Kingston Hospital. As we emerge from the COVID pandemic, it is really important that we are able to provide local people with the care they need at the right time, and our Rapid Diagnostic Cancer Clinic will support this.”
Find out more about the Rapid Diagnostic Cancer Clinic.