In 2015 Leeds successfully bid to NHS-England, CR-UK and Macmillan
to become one of the six ACE pilot sites across England.
The ACE pilot pathway went live in Leeds in January 2017 and wasrolled out to GP practices across Leeds and available to take referrals from the Acute Medicine Department at St James’s University Hospital. The team soon recognised the potential to utilise the ACE methodology in order to reduce multiple diagnostic tests, explore potential cost savings and further improve patient experience by ensuring a focus on the right test first time.
This vision translated into a successful bid to the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Cancer Alliance for Cancer Transformation Funding in 17/18 and 18/19. This additional funding enabled the team to ensure all GPs in Leeds were aware of this new referral pathway and explore the potential benefits of applying the ACE methodology to other cancer pathways.
The success and potential for further evolution of ACE methodology was recognised and supported by the NHS in Leeds and the ACE service is now embedded into ‘business as usual’.
