Wales’ Reduced Screening Age: A Step Towards Earlier Cancer Detection and Treatment

Wales' recent decision to lower the bowel cancer age is part of a global shift towards prioritising early detection. This change aligns with the growing recognition of the life-saving potential of catching cancers and in their early stages.

While the move promises better outcomes for patients, it also poses a key question: what’s next?

With more people undergoing screenings, cancer diagnoses may rise, which could increase pressure on treatment waiting lists. However, early detection also presents an opportunity to improve outcomes and streamline care.

To address this challenge, NHS trusts are seeking innovative solutions. Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, for example, is among the pioneering healthcare providers taking action by training doctors to use Creo Medical’s Speedboat technology. Creo's cutting-edge tool could be pivotal in helping manage the anticipated surge in diagnoses, reducing waiting lists, and enabling faster treatment.

Speedboat: A Game-Changer for Cancer Treatment

Creo Medical’s Speedboat technology is a revolutionary device used in endoscopic procedures. It allows doctors to remove polyps, lesions and early-stage cancers in a minimally invasive way, reducing the need for more complex surgeries. By enabling precise interventions during a routine endoscopy, Speedboat has the potential to play a key role in tackling the increase in bowel cancer cases likely to result from expanded screening.

The technology’s impact is already becoming clear. In a case study involving East Kent University Hospital, the use of Speedboat demonstrated substantial cost and operational savings, in addition to reducing the time that patients must spend in hospital, both for initial treatment and follow up appointments.  According to the data, the technology can reduce theatre time by 25%, length of stay by 87% and a resulted in a 62% reduction in cost for hospital admissions. These savings are due to the ability of Speedboat to perform multiple functions with a single device, cutting procedure times as well as the need for follow up surgery.

Elisa Llewellyn, Director of Commissioning, Contracting and Costing at NHS Supply Chain stated:

The introduction of this service at East Kent, and the pathway it facilitates, has immediately had a positive impact in terms of patient outcomes and overall value. With over 200 Speedboat Submucosal Dissection cases now completed, our in-depth costing work shows tangible and consistent financial benefits largely stemming from a reduction in the time patients are spending in hospital. This is due to our ability to re-direct patients from surgical waiting lists to our excellent endoscopy unit.

By incorporating advanced tools like Creo Medical's Speedboat into organisations such as NHS Supply Chain, health services are positioning themselves at the forefront of cancer treatment innovation. As more hospitals adopt this technology and continue training their teams, the hope is that waiting times will shrink, survival rates will improve, and the financial burden on NHS Wales will be reduced—ultimately saving both lives and money.