People living in mid and south Essex can now get more care for skin conditions closer to home.
A new community dermatology service has launched for adults aged 16 and over. It provides specialist checks, treatment and advice for skin conditions, including suspected skin cancers.
The service aims to reduce the need for some patients to travel to hospital.
NHS Essex has commissioned the service, which is provided by CHEC (opens in a new tab).
GPs can refer patients to the service for specialist skin care. Patients will then be directed to the care that is right for them.
This could include advice on how to manage their condition, treatment in the community or hospital care.
Bringing these services together will help patients get the right care more quickly. It will also help reduce waiting times for checks and treatment.
We know that unusual or concerning skin changes are one of the most frequent health issues that patients seek help for. This new integrated community dermatology service will help to tackle waiting lists for care by ensuring patients and GPs have more streamlined access to education, specialist review, and treatment. By bringing dermatology services into the community, we are supporting more patients to access care closer to home and have a better experience in accessing the care they need.
Dr Anna Davey, GP
There is a growing need for dermatology services to be delivered at a community level to help tackle NHS waiting lists for these vital services. We are proud to be supporting the delivery of this integrated pathway, working in close partnership with the NHS to ensure patients are assessed quickly and receive the most appropriate care.
Iwona Ngody, Director of NHS Services at CHEC
Patient choice, exceptional care and equity of access are central to CHEC’s ethos. Through collaboration with NHS partners nationwide, we remain focused on reducing waiting times while continuing to deliver safe, high-quality care closer to home.
After a GP referral, patients will be assessed by a specialist.
In some cases, the specialist may use photos and information about the patient’s condition to help with the assessment. This is known as teledermatology.
It can be used to review concerns such as rashes, new moles or other changes to the skin.
This can help specialists identify people who may need urgent care. It may also mean some patients do not need to travel to hospital for their first appointment.
The service also offers online and face-to-face appointments at community locations across mid and south Essex.
Help is available for patients who cannot take suitable photos of their skin condition themselves.
Anyone who notices a skin change that does not go away, or that they are worried about, should contact their GP.
More information about the community dermatology service is available from GP practices across mid and south Essex.