Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average delay is between patient (a) referral and (b) diagnostic testing in Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust; and what steps he is taking to reduce diagnostic waiting times.
There is no complete measure for the average wait time for a patient between a referral and receiving a diagnostic test for all diagnostic tests.
The Diagnostic Waiting Times and Activity monthly collection, known as DM01, measures the current waiting times of patients still waiting for 15 key diagnostic tests or procedures at the end of each month. As of the end of March 2025, of those that were on the waiting list for a key diagnostic test at the Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, the median average length of time patients had been waiting was 2.5 weeks, compared to 2.7 weeks nationally. Details on this collection are available at the following link:
Cutting waiting lists, including for diagnostic tests, is a key priority for the Government. Our Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, builds on the investments already made with an ambitious vision for the future of diagnostic testing. This will include more straight-to-test pathways, increasing and expanding community diagnostic centres, and better use of technology.