Project 823 | Using Routine Primary Care Data and Co‑Production to Reduce Potentially Inappropriate Testing (PITSTOP): A Mixed‑Methods Study

The NHS is under strain driven by increased demand. Rates of blood testing have more than tripled between 2000-2015, and around 1 in 4 blood tests are thought to be unnecessary. GP Practices vary in how many tests they order, even when caring for similar patients. Underuse of tests can lead to delays in diagnosis and treatment, and risks to patient safety. Overuse of tests causes worry for patients, extra work for NHS staff, harms the environment, and wastes NHS money. Potentially Inappropriate Testing (PIT) includes both overuse and underuse of tests.

GOALS

We will create practical tools to help GP practices check if they are using tests appropriately and to make changes if needed. The tools will be called PITSTOP tools.

METHODS

First, we will work with stakeholders and patients to identify up to ten important indicators that show when tests may be over‑ or under‑used. These indicators will be turned into ‘dashboards’ using secure, anonymised NHS data, showing where testing is happening too much or too little.
We will check whether people from different ethnic backgrounds, or other protected groups who may face discrimination or disadvantage are more likely to be over- or under-tested.
We will talk to GPs, nurses and practice staff and find out what they think of these testing dashboards. We will explore how staff could use the dashboards to improve testing and run workshops with patients and healthcare professionals to help create the PITSTOP tools. These tools will include easy‑to‑understand information for patients, training materials for staff, and simple templates to help GP practices check whether they are using tests in the right way.

HOW MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE INVOLVED

Patients have helped shape this project from the start. A diverse panel of patients will be part of the team throughout the research, including co-developing the PITSTOP tools.

BENEFITS FROM THIS WORK

The PITSTOP tools will help ensure that all patients get fair access to the right test at the right time. This is important to keep patients safe, reduce NHS workload, healthcare costs, and support the environment.