Improving Cancer Outcomes: Strengthening collaboration between the NHS and independent sector
Case studies – Supporting earlier diagnosis
Perci Health – Cancer Risk Assessment and Screening Navigation
Despite early detection being one of the most powerful factors in improving cancer outcomes we continue to miss national targets and 35% of NHS screening appointments are currently missed. Standard pathways miss opportunities for earlier intervention, certain groups are less likely to engage, and patients often lack the guidance needed to navigate complex screening options. Closing this gap requires proactive, risk-stratified support.
Perci Health operates a cancer risk assessment and screening navigation service that identifies individuals at elevated cancer risk and supports them through appropriate genetic counselling and screening pathways. Using validated risk assessment tools, members are stratified and those meeting clinical thresholds are guided promptly towards the right investigations. Perci Health’s navigation team works alongside primary and secondary care, reducing barriers to uptake and ensuring timely access. Where appropriate, individuals are identified as eligible for genetic counselling or testing and referred accordingly. The service also connects members to NHS preventative health programmes, including smoking cessation, alcohol reduction, weight management, and increased physical activity, ensuring a whole-person approach to long-term health.
The service has delivered measurable results: 24% of eligible members were found to be overdue at least one recommended screening, and 78% of those were successfully navigated back into attendance. 26% of members were navigated to an NHS preventative health programme, with 65% demonstrating improved adherence to cancer prevention guidelines at three-month follow-up. These outcomes directly support national early cancer detection targets, delivering both system-level impact and individual benefit.
Alliance Medical and Xyla: Targeted Lung Cancer Screening for early diagnosis and inequality reduction
Health screening helps detect issues early, often before symptoms appear, leading to better outcomes and less pressure on hospitals.
The NHS Lung Cancer Screening Programme is a key part of the NHS’s shift from treatment to prevention, helping reduce health inequalities and improve survival rates through early detection. Xyla, part of Acacium Group, has partnered with Alliance Medical to deliver a nurse-led, patient-focused screening service across South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw, Lancashire and South Cumbria and Shropshire. Lung cancer outcomes are strongly influenced by stage at diagnosis, with late presentation disproportionately affecting deprived and underserved populations. Alliance Medical and Xyla have worked together to deliver Targeted Lung Cancer Screening (TLCS/LCS) using mobile CT scanners deployed directly into community settings. This enables rapid outreach to high-risk populations where NHS estate or workforce capacity is limited.
Their approach increased uptake among non-responders in Bassetlaw by 10%, with 22% of patients booking after receiving a GP-endorsed message. In Fylde & Wyre, the service achieved a 65% conversion rate from invitation to completed Lung Cancer Screening. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of personalised outreach, community engagement and use of a trusted messenger AML’s screening programmes demonstrate a high proportion of early-stage (Stage 1&2) diagnoses, supporting curative treatment pathways. Mobile delivery allows flexible, scalable deployment aligned to population need, directly supporting prevention and early diagnosis agendas.
However, screening is only the start of the patient journey, with providers highlighting some challenges in successful delivery. Local commissioning approaches vary significantly, creating inconsistency in funding, data-sharing arrangements and follow-up into NHS MDTs. Long-term sustainability is undermined by short-term or pilot-based funding models.
National consistency is needed on commissioning, data flows and MDT integration for screening programmes delivered by independent providers, to maximise population health impact.