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The Problem
In 2003, the All
Party Parliamentary Group on Skin reported that 'many GPs lack the ability to
diagnose suspect lesions. This has meant that a substantial
number of benign lesions are being referred - 19 out of 20
in some areas'.
In 2007, the Dermatology
Workforce
Group recommended
that “Primary care should offer patients rapid access to
diagnosis of their skin disease (which) may be part of enhanced
primary care service.
Secondary care should do only those things that only they
can
do; lead and coordinate clinical and educational services and
manage complex cases.”
In 2008, published
research indicated
that 30% of patients with melanoma were “initially diagnosed
incorrectly” by GPs leading to “significant delays in treatment.”
Clearly, GPs need
diagnostic support to deliver
high quality skin cancer screening to their
patients.
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The Solution
In
the NHS Cancer Reform Strategy 2009, National Cancer Director Professor
Sir Mike Richards states;
“We need to facilitate earlier
diagnosis in primary care by eliminating
delays and providing GPs with better access to diagnostic
tests.”
Current
NICE
Guidelines advise GPs that local investigations “may be
necessary in respect of patients with less typical symptoms
and signs that might,
nevertheless, be due to cancer.”
Current NICE
Guidance specifically recommends Dermoscopy - skin scoping
using a special microscope - for the diagnosis of melanoma
as it “yields greater diagnostic accuracy than naked eye
examination.”
According to NICE Guidance, an expert Dermoscopist can achieve an unrivalled sensitivity of up to 96%
and a specificity
of up to 98% in the diagnosis of melanoma.
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TeleDerm®
Scansol
are the UK's experts at dermoscopy.
Our TeleDerm® service provides GPs with a 'second opinion'
from GMC registered doctors - experts who hold the International
Dermoscopy Diploma - confirming whether a pigmented
lesion or mole is dermoscopically suspect
for melanoma.
According to Dr
Roger Elias,
Chair of Hastings & Rother
NHS
Practice Based Commissioning Board;
“TeleDerm
is a state of the art dermatology service, in line with
NICE
Guidelines.
My patients have found it an excellent service. It has saved unnecessary
referrals to hospital and resulted in considerable savings for the local PBC
consortium.
It has been a very simple service to run and met with
the approval of the vast
majority of my GP colleagues.
The accuracy of diagnosis has been almost 100% with no severe pathologies being
misdiagnosed.”
Find
out how TeleDerm® can
help you. → |
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