NHS FDP Cancer 360 dominated the headlines last month as Government announced it is to be rolled out across the NHS. Initially piloted at Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust’s gynaecology department between August and December 2022, the platform has since expanded considerably.

Currently, 46 registered teams and 239 active users are utilising Cancer 360, with 52,118 patients processed since its launch.

The impact at Chelsea and Westminster is evident, with urgent suspected cancer referrals increasing from 2,343 in November 2022 to 2,480 in November 2024. Crucially, diagnosis times have been significantly reduced, with the percentage of patients receiving a diagnosis within 28 days rising from 71.5% to 84.7% during the same period.

The success of the initial pilot has led to further adoption. A pilot launched at the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust in November 2024, initially in colorectal services and later expanding to upper gastrointestinal. University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust is currently implementing the tool, with 10 more NHS trusts set to join Cancer 360 from June.

Cancer 360 consolidates patient information from disparate hospital systems into a secure digital patient tracking list (PTL). This streamlines appointment scheduling, minimizes clerical errors, and frees up staff to focus on direct patient care. Real-time data dashboards provide healthcare professionals with valuable insights for efficient and high-quality care delivery. The platform is now more customisable, allowing staff to filter by patient risk and cancer teams for better prioritisation and backlog identification.

Suraiya Abdi, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Chelsea and Westminster, said: “Cancer 360 has enabled my team to monitor and safely carry our patients through their cancer pathway… reducing admin time and enabling them to focus on the patient journey. I have witnessed an improvement in performance, team spirit and most importantly patient experience.”