NHS teams working to free up diagnostic capacity and run effective services can now access GIRFT’s data-driven insight and recommendations across a range of specialties in a new diagnostics delivery guide.

The new GIRFT diagnostics delivery guide pulls together key findings and recommendations from GIRFT’s extensive resource library – including national reports, pathways and specialty guidance – which address priorities for diagnostics and elective recovery in the NHS.

Aimed at leaders and managers at regional, system and trust level, and clinicians, healthcare professionals and managers working in diagnostic services and clinical specialties, the delivery guide offers practical advice on steps for delivering a more effective service, as well as ways for primary care and acute services to free up diagnostic capacity by reducing unnecessary referrals.

Specialties covered by the guide* are cardiology, dermatology, diabetes, lung cancer, musculoskeletal, neurology, radiology and respiratory medicine. For some specialties, it updates on the existing GIRFT resources with additional material. It also includes comments on ongoing work for delivery and implementation.

The areas of focus are aligned with the priorities set out by the Elective Recovery Diagnostics team and in Diagnostics: Recovery and Renewal (2020), the report of the independent review of diagnostic services for NHS England led by Professor Sir Mike Richards.

*Pathology is not included in this guide as the GIRFT Pathology national specialty report was almost entirely related to the priorities of the Elective Recovery Diagnostics team so the report should be read in full. Gastroenterology was also omitted as elective recovery work for gastroenterology and endoscopy is progressing rapidly, and it was not possible to capture contemporaneous developments.