Overview for Healthcare Professionals
The Leicester Self-Referral Chest X-Ray Pilot is a targeted early diagnosis initiative currently available to eligible patients registered with GP practices in Coalville.
The pilot is delivered through partnership working between the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, and the East Midlands Cancer Alliance.
Launched on 4 November 2024, the programme aims to improve access to diagnostic imaging and support earlier detection of lung cancer. Earlier-stage diagnosis enables faster access to specialist investigation and treatment, improving outcomes and survival.
Purpose of the Pilot
The Coalville pilot has been designed to:
- Increase early presentation and investigation of persistent chest symptoms
- Reduce barriers to initial imaging
- Support earlier-stage lung cancer diagnosis
- Test an appointment-based self-referral model within a defined geography
- Generate learning for potential wider rollout across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland
By allowing eligible patients to self-refer directly for imaging, the pilot removes the requirement for a prior GP consultation while maintaining structured clinical governance.
Geographic Scope
At launch, the pilot is limited to patients registered at the following Coalville GP practices:
- Broom Leys Surgery
- Long Lane Surgery
- Whitwick Road Surgery
This targeted approach enables close monitoring of activity, safety, uptake and system impact during the pilot phase.
Eligibility Criteria
Patients must:
- Be aged 40 years or over
- Be registered with one of the three participating Coalville GP practices
- Have not had a chest X-ray within the previous three months
- Have experienced one or more qualifying symptoms for more than three weeks
Qualifying symptoms include:
- Loss of appetite or unexplained weight loss
- Chest pain
- Fatigue
- Persistent cough
- Shortness of breath
Patients residing outside the Coalville pilot area are advised to contact their GP or NHS 111 for assessment via standard pathways.
Access Model
Unlike walk-in models operating in other areas, the Leicester pilot uses a telephone triage and booking system.
Eligible patients must call a dedicated booking line. Trained operators:
- Confirm eligibility against agreed criteria
- Provide guidance on the pathway
- Book a chest X-ray appointment where appropriate
This structured approach ensures demand management, capacity planning and governance oversight during the pilot phase.
Patients may only attend imaging with a confirmed appointment.
Imaging Locations
If eligible, patients can choose to attend one of several sites across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, including:
- Coalville Community Hospital
- Glenfield Hospital
- Leicester Royal Infirmary
- Leicester General Hospital
- Loughborough Hospital
- Oakham Hospital
- Melton Hospital
- St Luke’s Hospital
This multi-site offer supports accessibility across urban and rural populations within the pilot footprint.
Reporting and Follow-Up
Following imaging:
- The chest X-ray is reviewed by a specialist radiologist or reporting radiographer.
- Where further investigation is required, patients are contacted directly by the hospital.
- The X-ray report is sent to the patient’s GP practice within 1–2 weeks.
- Patients are advised to contact their GP practice to obtain their results.
Safety-netting advice encourages patients with persistent or worsening symptoms to seek GP review or contact NHS 111.
Governance and System Learning
Key features of the Leicester pilot include:
- Defined geographic and practice-level eligibility
- Appointment-based access to manage capacity
- Centralised triage and booking
- Structured radiology reporting pathways
- Built-in evaluation opportunity during pilot phase
The Coalville pilot provides valuable insight into how a controlled, locality-specific self-referral model can be introduced safely, with strong system partnership and oversight.
Healthcare leaders considering implementation of similar models can draw on Leicester’s partnership framework, eligibility criteria, booking infrastructure and governance design to inform future service development.