High-res skin imaging speeds up cancer diagnosis across the county

Using high-resolution skin imaging, it allows dermatologists to remotely assess patients, drastically cutting wait times for specialist appointments and improving treatment pathways for skin cancer.

A pioneering teledermatology service in Shropshire, Telford, and Wrekin is transforming how quickly skin cancer is diagnosed, all thanks to advanced high-resolution imaging. Launched early last year at the county’s first Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) in Telford, this service lets dermatologists remotely assess patients.

Medical photographers take detailed images of patients' skin, which dermatologists then review off-site. This innovative approach means more patients can be triaged efficiently, bypassing the need for everyone to wait for a traditional specialist appointment. Crucially, this speeds up both diagnosis and the start of treatment for skin cancer.

Boosting access and outcomes

GPs refer patients to this invaluable service, which runs four days a week at the CDC and an additional day at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, ensuring wide access.

Recent figures from Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) highlight the service’s huge impact. For 2025, over 60% of patients accessed the service as their first appointment, a massive jump from just 6% in 2023. This ten-fold increase in uptake, paired with very low missed appointment rates, clearly shows how convenient and effective the service is for patients.

Adding to its success, the latest patient feedback received by the Trust reveals that 100% of patients rated their experience as good or very good. This outstanding feedback, alongside the dramatic rise in use, strongly indicates the positive influence teledermatology is having on patient care locally.

Expert views

Lorna Clarson, Chief Medical Officer for NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, praised the results: “These figures are really encouraging. Our initial assessments also suggest that productivity for dermatologists has doubled since the introduction of the service.”

She explained the benefits for patients: “We know that waiting for a diagnosis is a really worrying time so, by improving the process, we can reduce that period of uncertainty, discharge people more quickly and speed up the time from referral to treatment.”

Ned Hobbs, Chief Operating Officer at SaTH, echoed her sentiments: “This service has made such a difference to our patients and we have received such positive feedback. As it is a quicker outcome for patients, it offers them early reassurance and also means that not all patients need a face-to-face appointment with a consultant.”