Finalist
Unlocking Access to Capsule Sponge Testing in England and Scotland
by Incisive Health on behalf of Cyted Health
Summary of work
The EndoSign non-invasive test for Barrett’s oesophagus is a British success story – an innovative diagnostic developed in the UK that met an unmet patient need and could help a stretched NHS cut waiting times, improve outcomes and save money.
The company that developed the test, Cyted Health, had supported a series of NHS pilots and the results should have spoken for themselves – in England eight in ten people on waiting lists could be discharged without the need for endoscopic investigation, while in Scotland waiting times had been reduced from 9 to 5 months.
However, despite these promising results, there were still barriers to widescale adoption. In England, the principal challenge was the absence of provision for capsule sponge testing in the NHS tariff, while in Scotland there was an absence of national leadership to encourage uptake.
Approaching the end of 2024, time was of the essence – there was an urgent need to ensure changes were made ahead of the 2025/6 financial year. Incisive Health supported Cyted to navigate the complex payer and policymaker landscape and ensure that its messaging landed with key decision-takers, ultimately unlocking access to EndoSign for patients in England and Scotland in 2025.
Judges’ comments
The submission from Incisive Health and Cyted Health impressed the judges with the red thread running throughout the campaign. It was a good execution on a limited budget and they nailed the objectives. It was beautifully written and articulated the problem faced very clearly. Does exactly what it says on the tin!
