A glass trophy with the words HSJ Awards 2024 written on it

A PROJECT that has helped to reduce waiting times for patients with suspected cancer has been recognised at a prestigious national awards ceremony.

Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance was Highly Commended for Driving Efficiency through Technology at the Health Service Journal (HSJ) Awards for its work on Single Queue Diagnostics in Cancer.

The HSJ Awards celebrate the achievements of dedicated teams and individuals from the UK’s health and social care sector

The Single Queue Diagnostics Pathway is a new service for people that need specialist tests to help find out what’s going on with their health. For some people this will be a very difficult time because the test is looking for possible cancer.

Led by the Alliance, hospitals in Greater Manchester are now working together to provide the quickest and the best care to every patient no matter where they live. It means that patients who need certain types of further tests are able to have the first appointment that’s available, even if it’s not at their usual hospital.

This means that people will have the tests that they need as quickly as possible and the worry over waiting for tests is kept as short as possible for everyone.

Matt Evison, Associate Medical DirectorThe work has been led by Professor Matt Evison, Associate Director at Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance.

Professor Evison said: “This new service allows you the patient and the doctors and nurses that are looking after you to see every appointment at every hospital across Greater Manchester that provides the test that you need.

“This means that together you can pick what day what time and at what hospital the test is done. Before this you might only have been able to have the test at the nearest available hospital.

“However there may be certain things particular to your life and situation that affects when and where you can have tests and the choice will always be yours.”

Lisa Galligan Dawson a white woman with long blonde hair wearing a black jumperLisa Galligan Dawson, Director of Performance at Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance, said: “We are delighted to be awarded a High Commendation from the HSJ Awards. This recognises the value our work has made to our patients and to our healthcare system.”

“The Single Queue Diagnosis Pathway has helped share capacity for specialist cancer diagnostics around different hospitals and has significantly reduced waiting times for patients.”

The HSJ Awards share success stories across the health and social care sector and help inspire and shape the future of the NHS.

This year’s awards comprised an incredible 26 categories. Overall, an impressive 1,351 entries were received, with 235 organisations, projects and individuals making it to the final shortlist, following two rounds of rigorous judging.

Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance was also shortlisted for three other awards:

  • Greater Manchester Chest X-Ray AI Pilot Project, shortlisted for the Modernising Diagnostics Award, led by Dr Rhidian Bramley
  • This Van Can – the Greater Manchester Prostate Cancer Awareness Roadshow pilot, shortlisted for the NHS Race Equality Award, led by Sotonye Tolofari
  • Single Queue Diagnostics Image Guided Lung Biopsy Pilot, shortlisted in the Provider Collaboration category, led by Dr Rebecca Duerden

This year’s awards took place on November 21 at Evolution London, supported by Vodafone Business, and hosted by comedian, Dara O’Briain. The ceremony celebrated the achievements of dedicated teams and individuals from the UK’s health and social care sector and their ongoing efforts to deliver improved patient outcomes.

Editor of the Health Service Journal, Alastair McLellan said: “Year on year, I’m always so impressed by the innovation, dedication and integrity of all those who take the time to submit an entry to the HSJ Awards – and this year has been no exception, with an outstanding calibre of applicants, presenting some tough decisions and much deliberation for her our judging panel!

“I’d therefore like to extend my personal congratulations to Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance who were Highly Commended in the category of Driving Efficiency through Technology Award.”

He added: “Our awards ceremony always strives to reflect our core values and a heritage of more than four decades of sharing best practice, improving patient outcomes and ultimately, giving a well-deserved “thank you” to the entire sector.”