Since January 2022, The Transforming Cancer Services Team (TCST) has supported NHS England London Region and the London and South East Sarcoma Network (LSESN) to redesign the soft tissue sarcoma diagnostic pathway. We are delighted that, as a collaboration, we had the opportunity to present at two sarcoma conferences this year; the Bone Cancer Research Trust and Sarcoma UK Conference in January; and the annual British Sarcoma Group Conference in February.

The redesigned pathway covers three NHS England regions, two tertiary services and nine local diagnostic services, with the aim of:

• clarifying the pathway for primary care urgent suspected sarcoma referrals;
• reducing patient travel to access skilled, local diagnostic services and specialist pathology;
• improving cancer waits performance against the national Faster Diagnosis Standard; and
• reducing specialist diagnostic pressures on the tertiary services.

This will all be achieved whilst maintaining clinical oversight by the LSESN.

The project team are continuing to support the LSESN and local Cancer Alliances with the implementation of local diagnostic services against the co-designed pathway document and supporting NHS England Specialised Commissioning of the tertiary services and local diagnostic services.

For more information, please contact Liz.Price4@nhs.net