SAH Diagnostics is already delivering improved NHS performance

A newly opened private diagnostics centre in Bristol holds the key to completely solving Britain’s NHS waiting list problem, its boss has claimed.

The purpose of the Bristol Community Diagnostics Hub, opened by SAH Diagnostics, is to take pressure off the NHS and give patients earlier diagnostic outcomes, particularly for cancer. It aims to speed up the provision of a complete end-to-end pathway from GP referral to biopsy to MDT (multidisciplinary teams), so patients know more quickly whether or not they need treatment. 

‘Aim to replicate throughout the country’

Speaking at the opening of the new centre in Bradley Stoke, Bristol, Feroz Agad, chief executive of SAH Diagnostics, said his new facility will support up to 14,000 patients a year in the local area with services including imaging, cardiology, dermatology, gynaecology and urology.

“The vision for this centre is to take diagnostics out of the hospital and bring it directly into the community, make it more accessible, which will allow us to drive down waiting lists,” he said.

“We want this Bristol facility to be a model for us to replicate throughout the country. My vision is that if we can actually replicate this throughout the country, the UK’s waiting list issue completely goes away.”

76% of NHS trusts are failing to meet cancer diagnostics deadlines

According to 2025 data, 76% (90 out of 118) of NHS trusts are failing to meet the target for diagnosing or ruling out cancer within 28 days of a patient’s referral.

Across the 31 NHS trusts supported by SAH Diagnostics facilities – including Torbay and South Devon, King’s College Hospital, London, and Leicester – are well inside the 28-day target. 

“With our virtual clinic platform and new facilities, we are confident we can deliver against the 28-day ‘Faster Diagnosis Standard’ in 14 days,” said Feroz.

At King’s College, SAH has achieved an average of 21.9 days for prostate cancer patients. SAH won a Health Service Journal (HSJ) ‘gold’ award for taking Leicester NHS Trust from being the UK’s worst performer on prostate and skin cancer to the most improved. At Surrey ICB (integrated healthcare board), SAH helped speed up the referral-to-booking process for patients needing ultrasound scans from six weeks to four hours.

‘This shows what’s possible when innovation meets frontline care’

SAH Diagnostics aims to open facilities like this across Britain, in close partnership with the local NHS and with clinical training departments at selected universities.

Sunita Berry, managing director of Peninsula Cancer Alliance, an NHS unit that works to improve cancer services across the Southwest, said: “We are all looking for earlier diagnosis, and faster diagnosis, of cancer. 

“Partnering with SAH enables us to accelerate diagnostics and reduce patient anxiety. Their innovative, solutions-focused approach means they quickly understood our needs, delivering a comprehensive expert service at pace. The collaboration shows what’s possible when innovation meets frontline care.”

‘Cutting-edge facilities and a warm and friendly team’

She added: “GPs will also have the confidence to be able to refer directly into a place like this, which means they are not wasting resources by sending somebody to specialist services when they don’t need to.”

Claire Hazelgrove, Labour MP for Filton and Bradley Stoke, who cut a ceremonial ribbon to open the centre, said: “I was pleased to formally open the new cancer diagnostic centre here in Bradley Stoke last week, and to meet CEO Feroz Agad and the impressive team providing important diagnostic support for local residents. 

“As I know with my own family, as so many of us do, when you or a loved one need to be screened for cancer it is an incredibly worrying time, and being able to do this closer to home, without the added stress of a hospital visit can make this a little easier.  

“With cutting-edge facilities and a warm and friendly team, I’m sure this new centre will make a difference for local people. 

“We all know that earlier cancer detection saves lives, and I’m proud that – since our Labour Government came into office just over 18 months ago – early diagnosis rates for cancer are at a record high. This is saving lives and changing futures.” 

Partnerships with universities

Professor Marc Griffiths, pro-vice chancellor for regional partnerships, engagement & innovation at the University of the West of England (UWE), said: “Opening up this centre creates so much opportunity for our students in terms of potential placements.” 

He said it would enable students and staff to be “more embedded within the community”, which in turn would help SAH Diagnostics, the NHS and UWE “achieve their goals around patient outcomes, research and innovative approaches to practice.”

Over the past four years, SAH Diagnostics has supported the NHS by delivering more than 400,000 procedures to patients across the UK.