FOI/25/182

Request

Under the Freedom of Information Act, I would like to request the following information:

 Availability of NT-proBNP testing

1. How many Community Diagnostic Centres are currently operational in your area?
2. Is NT-proBNP testing for suspected heart failure currently available within local Community Diagnostic Centres?  (please specify if any local Community Diagnostic Centres do not offer NT-proBNP testing) 
3. If NT-proBNP testing for suspected heart failure is not currently available, are there any plans to introduce it in future?

 Testing Volume

4. How many NT-proBNP blood tests have been performed by the local Community Diagnostic Centre between January 2021 to August 2024?
5. How many BNP blood tests have been performed by the local Community Diagnostic Centre between January 2021 to August 2024?
6. How many patients with a suspected diagnosis of heart failure have accessed the local Community Diagnostic Centre between January 2021 to August 2024?

 Guidelines

7. What guidelines are in place for the local Community Diagnostic Centre to follow in relation to administering BNP and or NT-proBNP tests for patients with a suspected diagnosis of heart failure?
8. What referral pathways should be followed by the local Community Diagnostic Centre in relation to patients with a suspected diagnosis of heart failure?

Targets/metrics

9. What assessment has the local Community Diagnostic Centre made of local population need and the likely demand for BNP and/or NT-proBNP testing for patients with a suspected diagnosis of heart failure?
10. Based on local demographics, what assessment has the local Community Diagnostic Centre made of the number of patients with a suspected diagnosis of heart failure that should be seen by the centre on an annual basis?

 Scaling up

11. What assessment has the local Community Diagnostic Centre made of the need to increase access to BNP and/or NT-proBNP testing – including projections of growing need and increases in the number of people at risk of heart failure?
12. What assessment has been made of the barriers that may impact the ability of local Community Diagnostic Centres to meet future demands for access to BNP and/or NT-proBNP testing?
13. What assessment has been made of additional resources required by local Community Diagnostic Centres to meet rising demand for BNP and/or NT-proBNP testing over the next 12 months; 18 months; and 5 years?
14. What resource has been allocated to local Community Diagnostic Centres for the acquirement of point of care testing capabilities and administration of BNP and/or NT-proBNP tests?

I would like you to provide this information in the following format:

In an Excel spreadsheet with information broken down by each CDC in your area

Response 

Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust can confirm that, this is non-applicable to our service as local CDC are provided by third party.