Dr Sunil Dolwani and the National Endoscopy Programme have been awarded funding through the Bevan Exemplar Programme (Bevan Exemplars - Bevan Commission).
Colon Capsule Endoscopy (CCE), is a painless procedure, where a patient swallows a pill containing two tiny cameras to examine the large bowel (colon). There is some evidence that suggests it can be used as a diagnostic tool, with high sensitivity and specificity within selected groups of patients and can help to reduce the need for optical colonoscopy.
The number of patients being referred for endoscopy in Wales exceeded capacity across Wales prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the pandemic, the situation has significantly worsened, and there are currently long waiting times for colonoscopy procedures.
CCE could help alleviate the long waiting list times by providing another diagnostic tool within the lower gastrointestinal cancer pathway.
The aim of this project is to investigate the use of CCE within four participating Welsh health boards - Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, Swansea Bay University Health Board, and Cardiff & Vale University Health Board.
One of the things that makes CCE unique is the remote reading of images that will be implemented alongside the cross-Health Board boundary working. The images collected from a CCE test in one Health Board can be sent to a hub in another Health Board for reading.
Cedar's role in the pilot will be the evaluation of the service through patient questionnaires regarding their experience of the service, and staff interviews from those on the ground implementing the service in the participating Health Boards.
For more information, please contact Sam Bird - Samuel.bird2@wales.nhs.uk or 029 21 848 692.