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Cutting dermatology wait lists from 80 weeks to 48 hours in Frimley ICB
Xyla partnered with Frimley ICB to deliver a consultant led teledermatology service designed to reduce long dermatology waits, improve the patient experience and support clinicians with faster access to expert review.
Key stats
40% reduction
in 2 week wait referrals sent to secondary care
40%
of overall referrals managed outside secondary care
of overall referrals managed outside secondary care
48 hours
photo access for urgent cases and within 10 days for routine referrals
photo access for urgent cases and within 10 days for routine referrals
48 hours
ambulatory ECG analysis reports completed remotely between January and December 2025
ambulatory ECG analysis reports completed remotely between January and December 2025
The challenge
Routine dermatology waits at the local trust exceeded 80 weeks, creating anxiety for patients and pressure on hospital capacity. Frimley ICB wanted an alternative model that could accelerate diagnosis, reduce demand on secondary care and support GPs to manage suitable cases safely in the community.
Why Xyla
Xyla was chosen for its ability to deliver a fully consultant led service aligned with NHS pathways, supported by dermatologists who hold substantive NHS posts. This ensured high quality decision making, fast turnaround times and a smooth integration with primary care that enabled safe community-based management wherever possible.
The solution
Working closely with Frimley ICB, Xyla designed a bespoke teledermatology pathway that allowed GPs to refer patients with or without dermatoscopic images. A medical photography clinic operated up to four days per week, ensuring rapid access to high quality images for all patients. Urgent cases received images within 48 hours and routine referrals within 10 days.
Once uploaded, consultant teledermatologists remotely reviewed the images and referral information and provided a clear next step. This included referral to the acute trust when required, redirection to community dermatology clinics or a Primary Care Management Plan for the GP. The service offered consistent consultant decision making, quicker reassurance for patients and a streamlined flow of cases across primary and secondary care.
Impact
The service achieved a 40% reduction in 2 week wait referrals sent to the acute trust, helping to ease pressure on overstretched hospital services while ensuring patients with suspected cancer were escalated appropriately.
40% of all referrals were managed outside secondary care, supported by high quality consultant advice and robust Primary Care Management Plans that allowed GPs to deliver timely treatment locally.
Urgent photographic access within 48 hours and consultant review within the same timeframe ensured patients received rapid clarity on their symptoms. This improved the patient experience and reduced unnecessary worry.
The combination of flexible referrals, fast imaging and consultant input created a smoother flow of cases and delivered earlier diagnosis and treatment for conditions that previously faced long delays.
Consultant Dermatologist Rob Ellis said the model provided the optimum approach for future dermatology services, enabling early diagnosis, bespoke pathways and rapid reassurance for patients.
“Xyla teledermatology provides the optimum model for future dermatology services. Initial assessment by consultant dermatologists enables swift diagnosis and bespoke pathways. Patients with benign lesions are reassured quickly while those needing urgent care access treatment within two weeks instead of waiting months. This approach improves quality of care and fosters GP learning through immediate feedback.”
Rob Ellis, Consultant Dermatologist
Transforming access to care
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