How to improve The National Cancer Plan for faster diagnosis – preventative healthcare at home, work and within communities

The National Cancer Plan calls for faster diagnosis, and that doesn’t have to wait until someone walks through a clinic door. It can begin at home.

From bowel screening to HPV and the emerging cancer pathways now taking shape, millions already rely on our healthcare diagnostic solutions. But the true potential is only unlocked when they are combined with point of care testing and the right digital infrastructure to connect the two.

By investing in one unified diagnostic pathway, we can shift the model from reactive care to genuine prevention – broadening access, improving uptake, and catching cancer earlier, when the outcomes are best.

The future of early detection

Neighbourhood diagnostics have already been transformative in meeting demand and achieving earlier cancer diagnosis. They have brought services closer to the patient, increased capacity, and delivered real, measurable improvements across cancer care pathways.

But there is more that can be done. We can push healthcare diagnostic access beyond its current restrictions and into homes, workplaces and wider community settings, so that the full impact and potential of preventative care can finally be realised.

Self-sampling is the mechanism that unlocks that reach

+Cura is the digital infrastructure that makes this approach a real and exciting possibility.

RDi developed +Cura to be a powerful digital wrapper that seamlessly joins up every step from kit request to result delivery.

Our solution is tried, tested and trusted, and the benefits are well documented:

• Convenience – fewer missed appointments, reduced travel, greater engagement.
• Efficiency – less pressure on clinical teams, better use of hub capacity.
• Equity – access for people in rural, low-income and marginalised communities.
• Speed – quicker turnaround supports faster decision-making and intervention.

So, what if faster cancer diagnosis didn’t start in clinics – but in homes, workplaces and communities?

David Cahill, RDi’s CEO, said:

“Self-sampling does not compete with point of care testing. It strengthens it. By shifting the first touchpoint into the home, hubs and practices can focus on patients who genuinely need a face-to-face rapid result. This balanced model of home-first, and hub when required, is already proving valuable across prevention, sexual health, long-term condition monitoring, oncology support and emerging blood-based screening pilots.”

Self-sampling adds reach and resource, creating an opportunity to catch cancer earlier

+Cura: the digital infrastructure that makes this approach a real and exciting possibility

RDi developed +Cura to be a powerful digital wrapper that joins up every step of the journey, from kit request to result delivery, so nothing gets lost along the way.

It provides:

• Real-time kit tracking, so patients and providers know exactly where each kit is at every stage of the journey
• A compliant and fully auditable chain of custody, built for regulatory scrutiny
• Compatibility with laboratories, LIMS platforms, primary care systems and commissioning frameworks
• Population-level data to help ICBs and PCNs understand variation, inequality and pathway performance
• A simple, intuitive user experience that mirrors the clarity and convenience people expect from modern online services

In Summary

Reaching people where they are (both digitally and with compliant self-sample kits) reduces barriers, expands access, and drives stronger health engagement. And when engagement increases, so do early diagnosis and better outcomes.

The healthcare organisations that will create the greatest impact in the decade ahead won’t be defined by a standalone solution – but by integrated, end‑to‑end pathways that combine multiple diagnostic approaches, including:

• Self‑sampling in homes and communities
• Point‑of‑care testing in hubs and clinics
• Digital infrastructure that seamlessly connects every step

These connected pathways are what will ultimately transform patient experience, improve efficiency, and deliver earlier, more equitable diagnoses.

Click the button below to get in touch to see how RDi can support your pathway.