Improvement set to continue as Suspected Cancer Pathways project ends
Improvement Cymru will continue supporting teams across NHS Wales to undertake work to minimise the time between suspicion of cancer and diagnosis, following the end of the Suspected Cancer Pathways project.
The project, funded by the National Strategic Clinical Network for Cancer and implemented in partnership with Improvement Cymru and vehicle manufacturer Toyota, has encouraged cancer multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) and cellular pathology labs to improve their pathways through applying Lean Methodology.
As part of the project, which drew to a close in March 2024, the teams undertook intensive training at Toyota’s Lean Management Centre in Deeside and received site visits from the manufacture to identify how principles from the Toyota Production System could be used to improve their pathways.
Improvement Cymru have supported the teams to develop and implement the change ideas they identified as part of the training, which are showing early signs of promise.
Early indications from Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board’s cellular pathology lab are that the throughput of samples could be significantly increased after applying 5S methodology for standardisation.
Elsewhere, Swansea Bay University Health Board is focusing on reducing delays in its microtomy section by targeting opportunities for efficiency and minimising time-demanding distractions for the team.
Iain Roberts, Head of Programmes at Improvement Cymru, said: “The Suspected Cancer Pathways project has offered the opportunity for the participating teams to explore possible changes and improvements in very busy environments.
“At a time when services are under such considerable pressure, it is great that these highly committed and hard-working teams are open to trying to test ways in which they can already provide high quality services in slightly different ways.
“Our focus is to continue supporting these teams and nurturing their excellent progress towards achieving sustainable improvements to their cancer pathways, as well as surfacing the learning for the benefit of services and patients across Wales.”