Written question WQ100113
- Asked by
- Cai Parry-JonesReform
- To be answered by
- Cabinet Minister for Health and Care
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 20 days
Question
Will the Cabinet Minister consider mandating health boards to provide patients with printed or digital copies of diagnostic results as an interim measure while consistent access to diagnostic reports through the NHS Wales App is being developed?
Answer
Answered by Cabinet Minister for Health and Care (Mabon ap Gwynfor)
With over four out of five patient pathways involving diagnostic testing, from the detection of disease to the monitoring of treatment, there are no current plans to mandate healthcare providers to issue written diagnostic reports. The cost of providing an interim solution is unknown; however, given the expected volume of tests, it could be prohibitive relative to the net benefit. Manually distributing results would also be time-consuming, divert clinical time and create information-governance risks if results were issued incorrectly. Referrers are already expected to share diagnostic test outcomes with patients in a way that supports understanding and reduces the risk of misinterpretation.