Rapid Diagnostic Service
The Rapid Diagnostic Service (RDS) provides a single point of contact to support patients with non-specific (vague) symptoms that may be due to cancer.
The service has clinics in Norwich, Great Yarmouth and Kings Lynn and aims to promote faster diagnosis by holistically assessing patients’ symptoms and providing clinically relevant diagnostic tests as quickly as possible.
GPs can refer patients to the RDS if they feel they have symptoms that require further investigation by a specialist team so that problems can be investigated, and if needed, treated quickly and effectively.
Who is it run by?
The Rapid Diagnostic Service is run by Norfolk Primary Care and covers Norfolk and Waveney. It has an established team of GPs who have developed a specialist knowledge and interest in this area of medicine. The doctors are supported by a Service Manager and a Patient Navigator. The patient navigator supports patients while they are under our care. The patient navigator is easily contactable by telephone or email.
Meet the Team:
Dr Kate Slapp is the Lead GP.
Dr Daniel Percival is a GP within the Service – he also works in Norfolk at a local GP Practice.
Dr Beth Hall Thompson is a GP within the Service – she also works in Norfolk at a local GP Practice.
Dr Catherine Grant is a GP and also works in the local ED department.
The Service is also supported by a regular team of experienced locum GPs.
How do I get an appointment?
This is a service which you will be referred to if you describe worrying symptoms that may suggest you have cancer. These may include unexplained weight loss, tiredness, abdominal pain or abnormal blood results.
What happens once you have been referred?
An RDS Doctor will review the referral sent and you will be contacted by a member of the RDS Team (this will be within 5 working days).
It is likely that the Doctor will call you for an initial assessment over the telephone and may also invite you to attend a face-to-face appointment. It is important that you make yourself available for this.
The RDS Doctor may request further tests at this stage – the doctor will discuss this with you.
Where is it run from?
Gurney Surgery
40 Fishergate
Norwich
Norfolk
NR3 1SE
Cavell & Lind
4 North Lynn Business Village
Bergen Way
Kings Lynn,
Norfolk,
PE30 2JG
Shrublands Health Centre, (Beaches Medical)
Magdalen Way,
Gorleston
Great Yarmouth,
Norfolk,
NR31 7BP
When is the clinic run?
The Service works Monday to Friday.
Diagnosis and follow up
Diagnosis outcomes include:
- No serious findings, where you will be discharged back to your GP’s care.
- A cancer diagnosis, in which case you would be referred on an urgent cancer pathway to the specialist team at the local hospital.
- Other non-cancer diagnosis – where you may be referred to a specialist clinic or discharged back to your GP for management in the community.
Where necessary, you will have a follow-up appointment to discuss your diagnosis (we always advise someone to attend this with you if possible both for support and to ensure as much information is understood as possible).
After your appointment
If you have any questions, you are more than welcome to contact us on the numbers below.
Once you have been discharged by the service your GP will receive a letter detailing what action was taken and any findings.
Contact us
If you have any questions or concerns or need any further information, please contact the team on 01603 576096 (Monday – Friday 0830-1630). Out of hours or at busy times, please leave a message and we will call you back. You can also email the team on [email protected]
What do patients think about our serivce?
- Dr […] was very thorough in every way and was so helpful in the way [they] explained things
- I was contacted very promptly by RDS after I had spoken to my GP and then seen very quickly which was reassuring.
- Rapid, kind and reassuring. Symptoms acted on immediately.
- fast, efficient, professional & informative
- The doctor was very approachable and pleasant and explained