Patients in three Lincolnshire communities can now access transthoracic echocardiograms (TTEs) at their local Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) through external clinical support provided via the NHS Workforce Alliance.
Since the initial implementation of their waiting list reduction strategy, the United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust — which is part of the Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals NHS Group — has continued to offer transthoracic echocardiograms (TTEs) in the heart of local communities.
The trust has achieved this by contracting SET Healthcare to deliver the service via the Alliance’s Insourced Services to support the Provision of Healthcare Services (RM6276) framework.
Building on the success of the original initiative in Grantham, the service expanded its reach to cover additional Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) in Skegness and Lincoln. This broader coverage is enabling improved access for patients across a wider geographical area, particularly supporting those in rural and coastal communities, where diagnostic access has historically been limited.
In line with the NHS 10 Year Plan, the group is working to deliver care closer to home, shifting appropriate services from hospital to community settings. This includes a strong emphasis on prevention, early diagnosis, and addressing health inequalities, particularly in underserved coastal towns.
The approach continues to demonstrate the value of partnership working and flexible insourcing models in tackling diagnostic backlogs. By leveraging external clinical support via the Alliance, the Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals NHS Group has been able to maintain service resilience while upholding clinical quality and improving patient outcomes.
This work exemplifies how trusts can evolve their diagnostic strategies to meet national priorities, support local needs, and deliver long-term system benefits.