I'd like to make you aware of a public consultation currently open from NHS England regarding the provision of PET/CT imaging services.
Of particular importance for patients/relatives is questions 5:
"What characteristics do you consider important for patients when accessing PET-CT services, e.g. quality of the service, quality of the outcome, travel distance, accessibility by public transport, car parking, hours/times the service is available?"
Currently your nearest scanner is at King's College Hospital, Denmark Hill.https://www.kch.nhs.uk/service/cancer/t ... s/pet-scan
One thing you may want to consider is that if you were an inpatient at King's, needing an urgent scan, is being transported to another hospital satisfactory?
Disclosure: I work at King's.
Thanks, Ben.
Full details below.
https://www.engage.england.nhs.uk/surve ... nsult_view
PET-CT services: design of phase 2 procurement process
Overview
PET-CT, or positron emission tomography-computerised tomography, is used to produce detailed three-dimensional images of the inside of the body. An advantage of a PET-CT scan is that it can show how well certain parts of your body are working, rather than just showing what it looks like. PET-CT is particularly helpful for investigating confirmed cases of cancer, but is used in other conditions as well.
In 2014, NHS England carried out a procurement process for around 50% of PET-CT activity, known as PET-CT phase 1. The National PET-CT contract replaced two contracts, PET-CT North and South, which were running out. NHS England now intends to carry out a phase 2 procurement process for PET-CT activity not included in phase 1.
The aim is to procure services that improve patient experience and access to care, achieve the best clinical outcomes for patients, ensure an equitable service across the country and that all providers work to a consistent service specification, ensure adequate PET-CT provision in the future and provide best value for money.
The proposed process will seek bids from providers to deliver services in 9 different lots that are geographically defined – though it is possible for there to be multiple PET-CT sites within each lot. In addition, the proposal includes a maximum single price for scans, and a limit on the number of lots any one bidder can be awarded to maintain plurality of supply.
This does mean that the location of PET-CT services could potentially change from where they are currently provided. However, until the procurement process is more advanced, we will not have sight of proposed solutions, and therefore any proposed changes to service location or the potential impact for patients. At that later point, any potential change in location of PET-CT services may be the subject of public consultation.
NHS England is now to conduct a 30 day period of engagement with patients, public, providers and other interested parties to test the proposals prior to beginning the procurement. We are also seeking views on potential mitigation for any change in location of PET-CT services that could be built into the service requirements for bids.
