The womb cancer diagnostic test service in Somerset, which is celebrating its one-year milestone, has cut waiting times to see a specialist from 63 days to five days and more than halved waits for a cancer diagnosis from 48 days to 22 days.

David Milliken, a consultant gynaecological oncologist at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, said: ‘Patients are offered a single appointment that covers a consultation with a clinician, ultrasound and outpatient appointment, instead of three separate appointments as before.

‘We hope this service is helping to reassure the majority of people more quickly and help identify those who do need further treatment sooner.'

A total of 375 patients have received the post-menopausal bleeding service and been contacted within 24 hours for an appointment with 13 patients having been diagnosed with cancer at an earlier point in time.

The service has also contributed to a significant increase in the number of patients in Somerset being given a cancer diagnosis, or an all-clear result, within 28 days of their referral. This has increased from just 41% for gynaecology in April 2023 to 76.6% in August 2024, and it was as high as 84% in March 2024.