A new rapid testing centre in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary will help the hospital treat twice as many prostate cancer patients.
The Urological Cancer Rapid Diagnostic Centre, which is on course to test its first patients before the end of the year, will combine a patient’s scans and diagnostic procedures into a single visit to ARI.
Currently, scans and diagnostics take place over multiple visits.
North-east urological cancer charity UCAN, which is behind the Rapid Diagnostic Centre, said the RDC hopes to “significantly” reduce the time to diagnosis.
It will improve cancer treatment results and reduce anxiety for patients and their families across the North of Scotland.
Speaking to the P&J at a fundraising event in Aberdeen on Thursday, UCAN co-founder and ARI urological consultant James N’Dow and UCAN char Justine Royle said the RDC will help double the number of patients the urological unit can treat.
As the RDC diagnosis patients faster, surgery capacity will be improved by the increased adoption of the transurethral laser ablation – known as Tula – procedure to free up theatre space.
Tula is a minimally invasive method that takes 15 minutes and can be done using local anaesthetic. Tula patients can go home the same day they are operated on.
Prostate cancer diagnostics can ‘blaze a trail’ for ARI
Quicker turnover should help cut into waiting list for prostate and other urological cancer patients.
According to NHS Grampian’s most recent data, urology patients at the UCAN Centre in ARI have a six-week wait from being referred by their GP to being seen in a clinic.
At a fundraiser for the new RDC last week, NHS Grampian chief executive Adam Coldwells praised the UCAN project. Mr Coldwells said the RDC can “blaze a trail” for other ARI cancer departments.
UCAN wants to raise £2.5 million by the end of the year to fund the RDC.
“It will enable 70% of patients to receive a diagnosis the same day they are seen resulting in massive savings, a significant reduction in our carbon footprint and will allow us to double the capacity,” said Professor N’Dow, who was awarded an OBE in this year’s New Year’s Honours list.
UCAN has already raised £400,000 of the total.
Established in 2005, UCAN opened the UCAN Centre at ARI three years later. A drop-in service staffed by urological cancer specialist nurses, it provides information and support for patients and their families.
UCAN implemented the first robotic surgical system in Scotland in 2015.
