A major new report commissioned by Magentus has outlined a series of recommendations to help the NHS redesign diagnostic services, improve patient experiences and meet growing demand for tests across England.
Strengthening the Backbone: Reimagining NHS Diagnostics in England brings together insights from leading experts across radiology, pathology and primary care alongside new analysis of NHS performance data. It concludes that while NHS teams are delivering consistently high levels of diagnostic activity, lasting improvements will require a more connected, patient-centred approach to diagnostics.
The report’s recommendations
The report argues that optimising diagnostic performance will require more than increasing activity. Instead, it calls for a redesign of diagnostic services around patients, pathways and better use of technology. It sets out seven recommendations:
Move diagnostics earlier in pathways to support prevention and faster intervention
Too often, patients must navigate multiple referrals before reaching a diagnostic test. Expanding direct access to diagnostics can streamline pathways, support earlier diagnosis and enable faster intervention.
Improve interoperability and data sharing
Diagnostic information is often trapped within organisational boundaries, leading to inefficiencies and repeat testing. Better interoperability can support faster clinical decision-making and more joined-up care.
Improve patient communication and navigation
Patients often experience uncertainty and poor communication throughout the diagnostic process. Clearer information and better support alongside test results can improve the patient experience and help people move through pathways more confidently.
Use existing capacity more effectively
Capacity is not always aligned with demand. The report recommends making better use of Community Diagnostic Centres and networked approaches to help reduce variation and improve access to testing.
Expand workforce capacity
Workforce shortages, particularly in reporting and specialist diagnostic roles, are increasingly constraining performance. Growing capacity and making better use of expertise will be essential to meeting rising demand.
Design diagnostics as connected pathways
Fragmented services can create delays, duplication and poor coordination. The report recommends designing diagnostics as integrated pathways that connect services, clinicians and care settings around the patient.
Align incentives and funding models
Current funding arrangements can encourage activity within individual services rather than collaboration across pathways. Incentives should support coordinated care and shared responsibility for patient outcomes.
Growing pressure on NHS diagnostics
The report comes at a critical time for NHS diagnostics. New analysis included in the report shows that 1.92 million people in England are currently waiting for a diagnostic test – an 83% increase compared with pre-pandemic levels. More than one in five patients (21.2%) now wait longer than the NHS six-week standard, significantly above the operational target of 1%.
Despite the NHS delivering more than 2.6 million diagnostic tests in a single month, demand continues to outpace capacity, creating pressure across wider treatment pathways, including cancer services. The report also highlights significant regional variation in diagnostic performance.
Marlen Suller, Managing Director, Clinical Diagnostics EMEA at Magentus, said:
“NHS teams are delivering extraordinary levels of activity, but the report shows that simply doing more tests will not solve the underlying challenge. As demand continues to grow, the NHS needs diagnostic services that work more effectively at scale, make better use of information and technology, and support patients through more efficient pathways of care. The opportunity now is to create a more connected diagnostic system, making better use of technology to support clinicians, reduce duplication of tests and improve the experience of care for patients.”
Professor Erika Denton, Professor of Radiology at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and member of the report steering group, added:
“Diagnostics underpin almost every clinical decision made in the NHS. While teams are working incredibly hard, demand has evolved faster than the systems supporting it. The challenge now is not simply adding more activity – it is making services work more effectively together so that patients move through pathways more quickly and more consistently.”
Building the future of diagnostics
The report argues that diagnostics should be viewed as the backbone of modern healthcare, underpinning decisions across almost every stage of the patient journey. However, fragmented systems, workforce shortages and inconsistent access to services are preventing diagnostics from operating as effectively as they could.
At Magentus, we believe connected diagnostics will play a vital role in addressing these challenges. By enabling greater interoperability, supporting collaborative working across organisations and helping clinicians access the information they need at the point of care, digital technologies can help create more efficient pathways and better experiences for patients.
Strengthening the Backbone: Reimagining NHS Diagnostics in England is available to download here.
