County cancer diagnosis speeded up by high-res skin imaging
Health bosses say that a new local teledermatology service is continuing to speed up cancer diagnosis across the county.
The service, which launched at the county’s first Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) in Telford early last year, enables dermatologists to remotely triage patients using high spec images of people’s skin taken by a medical photographer.
Dermatologists are able to review more patients, avoiding people having to wait for a specialist appointment, and speeding up diagnosis and treatment for skin cancer.
Patients are referred to the service, which is offered four days a week at the CDC and once a week at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, by their GP.
The latest figures received from Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) shows that for 2025 over 60 per cent of patients accessed the service as a first appointment - with comparatively low missed appointment rates - compared with six per cent for 2023.
Health bosses also pointed to the latest patient feedback received by the trust, which shows that 100 per cent of patients reported their experience of the service as good or very good.
A statement from NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin said: "This ten-fold increase in service uptake, plus outstanding patient experience results, provide a strong indication of the positive impact teledermatology is having on patient care."
Lorna Clarson, Chief Medical Officer for NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, said: “These figures are really encouraging. Our initial assessments also suggest that productivity for dermatologists has doubled since the introduction of the service.
“We know that waiting for a diagnosis is a really worrying time so, by improving the process, we can reduce that period of uncertainty, discharge people more quickly and speed up the time from referral to treatment.”
Ned Hobbs, Chief Operating Officer at SaTH, said: “This service has made such a difference to our patients and we have received such positive feedback.
“As it is a quicker outcome for patients, it offers them early reassurance and also means that not all patients need a face-to-face appointment with a consultant.”
