Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) implemented DERM into their skin cancer pathway and used dermatology capacity gains to see and treat patients with suspected skin cancer on the same day.
MFT are leading the way for the implementation of DERM in suspected skin cancer pathways in Greater Manchester. Since deploying, word of the pathway spread with Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust and Heywood, Middleton & Rochdale Integrated Care Partnership deploying DERM shortly after MFT.
MFT receives ever-increasing urgent suspected skin cancer (USSC) referrals. Since April 2023, the service has averaged 161 skin cancer referrals per week (647 per month).
MFT have limited clinical capacity to deal with demand, which mirrors the national challenge of 1 in 4 consultant dermatologist posts remaining unfilled.
Early skin cancer detection is so important for survival rates, not to mention the 1/3 melanoma that are found on routine pathways where patients endure longer waiting times.
MFT partnered with Skin Analytics to deploy DERM and address the gap between dermatology demand and capacity.
DERM can assess and classify images of skin lesions as effectively as dermatologists, triaging out patients with benign skin lesions from dermatologist case load and expediting those with suspected cancers to the care of dermatologists.
Across all Skin Analytics deployments, the main objective is to free up finite dermatology capacity for patients in greatest need, but MFT’s implementation of DERM has an additional dimension – MFT use their dermatology capacity gains to see and treat patients with suspected skin cancer on the same day.
How?
A patient comes into the skin cancer hub and has images taken of their mole or skin lesion which is assessed by DERM.
Patients with benign skin lesions are discharged without requiring consultant capacity. For patients with pre-malignant or malignant lesions, they have the option to go ‘next door’ to a dedicated clinic room where they are seen by a dermatologist and treated accordingly.
Research suggests that delays in melanoma diagnosis of 2 weeks or more are linked with 20% reduced 5-year survival so redesigning the pathway in this way presented a great opportunity for MFT to drive earlier skin cancer detection, prevention and better patient outcomes.
