You are here

Article Text

Article menu
Download PDFPDF
Endoscopy
Original research
National census of UK endoscopy services in 2023
  1. Oliver Bendall1,
  2. Keith Pohl2,
  3. Keith Siau3,
  4. Phedra Dodds4,
  5. Mark Feeney2,
  6. Jessica Butler4,
  7. Madeline Bano4,
  8. Daniel Cullinan4,
  9. Helen Griffiths4,
  10. Sarah Mills4,5,
  11. Mark Jarvis4,6,
  12. Paul Dunckley7,
  13. Matt Rutter4,8
  1. 1 Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, Plymouth, UK
  2. 2 Department of Gastroenterology, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, Torquay, UK
  3. 3 Department of Gastroenterology, Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, Truro, UK
  4. 4 Joint Advisory Group on Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, Royal College of Physicians, London, UK
  5. 5 Department of Colorectal Surgery, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
  6. 6 Department of Gastroenterology, Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, Basildon, UK
  7. 7 Department of Gastroenterology, Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, Gloucester, UK
  8. 8 Department of Gastroenterology, North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, Stockton-on-Tees, UK
  1. Correspondence to Dr Oliver Bendall; oliver.bendall{at}nhs.net

Abstract

Background The Joint Advisory Group on Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (JAG) conducts a biennial census of UK endoscopy services. The 2023 census aimed to assess the current status of endoscopy services and compare them with pre-pandemic census benchmark data.

Methods An electronic survey was sent to all JAG participating services in April 2023. Key domains included activity, waiting times, workforce and safety. Whole census and service level paired comparison was made with 2019 census data.

Results There were 334 census responses representing 443 JAG-participating services (86.7% response rate). NHS services were operating at 110% of pre-pandemic activity levels. In the first 3 months of 2023, 53.6% of NHS services met urgent suspected cancer waiting time targets, 26.5% met routine waits and 26.2% met surveillance waits. The proportion of NHS services meeting all three targets decreased from 40.9% to 21.9% between 2019 and 2023. Compared with 2019, the proportion of independent sector activity has significantly increased. Insourcing activity has significantly increased and is being used by 57.9% of NHS services. Staff shortages were the most cited reasons for services not meeting waiting time targets or providing training. Absence through sickness rates for Band 2–6 nursing and healthcare support workers were significantly higher in 2023 compared with 2019 (p<0.001).

Conclusion The 2023 census presents a system under strain. While overall activity is above pre-pandemic levels, this is set against workforce concerns, increasing staff absences and reliance on insourcing for additional activity. This census re-emphasises the need to proactively plan for rising demand, while maximising all current available resources.

  • ENDOSCOPY
  • GASTROSCOPY
  • COLONOSCOPY

Data availability statement

Data are available upon reasonable request. Data held by Joint Advisory Group on GI Endoscopy (JAG).

https://doi.org/10.1136/flgastro-2024-102834

Statistics from Altmetric.com

    Request Permissions

    If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.

    Data availability statement

    Data are available upon reasonable request. Data held by Joint Advisory Group on GI Endoscopy (JAG).

    View Full Text

    Footnotes

    • X @Oliver_Bendall, @Drkeithsiau, @Rutter_Matt

    • Contributors JB, MB, DC, HG, SM, MJ, PD, MR developed and distributed the census. OB and KP conducted statistical analysis. OB drafted the first version of the manuscript. OB, KP, KS, PD, MF, HG, PD, MR revised the manuscript. All authors agreed on the final manuscript version. MR is guarantor responsible for the overall content.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

    • Supplemental material This content has been supplied by the author(s). It has not been vetted by BMJ Publishing Group Limited (BMJ) and may not have been peer-reviewed. Any opinions or recommendations discussed are solely those of the author(s) and are not endorsed by BMJ. BMJ disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on the content. Where the content includes any translated material, BMJ does not warrant the accuracy and reliability of the translations (including but not limited to local regulations, clinical guidelines, terminology, drug names and drug dosages), and is not responsible for any error and/or omissions arising from translation and adaptation or otherwise.