Advancing cardiac care with drugless, radiographer-led CTCA
A smarter, scalable approach to early cardiovascular diagnosis -
supporting NHS ambitions to reduce premature deaths while transforming patient pathways.
Cardiovascular disease continues to place a profound burden on patients and healthcare systems
As demand for CT Coronary Angiography (CTCA) grows, healthcare providers are rethinking how cardiac imaging services are delivered—looking for ways to expand access, improve efficiency, and maintain clinical excellence.
At GE HealthCare, we believe innovation happens when technology and clinical practice evolve together. Drugless, radiographer-led CTCA represents a meaningful step forward: enabling earlier diagnosis, more efficient pathways, and better use of clinical expertise.
Interested in learning more about cardiovascular disease prevention?
Free, on-demand webinar: An Introduction to Heart Health and the Prevention of CHD. Click here to watch the first webinar.
Over 8,000,000 people in the UK are estimated to be living with heart and circulatory disease, resulting in 170,000 deaths a year and an annual cost to the economy of £29 billion.1 This contributes to a staggering one in four premature deaths.2
Redefining cardiac CT pathways
Traditional cardiac CT models have relied on consultant-led workflows, often requiring medication to control heart rate and limiting throughput due to specialist availability. A new model is emerging—one that removes unnecessary complexity and unlocks greater flexibility across the pathway.
Drugless, radiographer-led CTCA empowers advanced practitioners to independently deliver high-quality scans without routine pre-scan medication. The result is a streamlined, scalable service that enhances both productivity and patient experience while maintaining diagnostic confidence.
Traditional cardiac CT (Consultant-led) | Drugless, radiographer-led CTCA |
|---|---|
❌️ Require beta blockers and clinician supervision | ✅️ No routine pre-scan medication |
❌️ Depend on consultant availability | ✅️ Independent radiographer-led scanning |
❌️ Take ~30 minutes per scan | ✅️ Faster, more efficient workflows |
❌️ Limit throughput and restrict access | ✅️ Scalable services aligned to increasing demand |
Proven impact in practice - University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
At University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, this transformation is already delivering measurable results. By combining advanced CT technology with an evolved workforce model, the Trust has redefined how cardiac CT services are delivered—achieving both clinical and operational excellence.
Today, UHP stands as one of the highest-volume CTCA providers in England, demonstrating what is possible when innovation is applied at scale.
Key outcomes include |
|---|
A significant increase in capacity, with nearly 2,000 additional scans delivered annually |
Waiting times reduced from months to weeks, improving access to timely diagnosis |
Shorter, more efficient appointments without compromising quality |
A reduction in non-diagnostic scans, supporting confident clinical decision-making |
Annual savings exceeding £2.3 million, driving value across the system |
Unlocking value across the care pathway
This approach goes beyond efficiency—it enables a more sustainable, patient-centred model of care.
By removing the need for routine medication and reducing reliance on consultant-led supervision, providers can expand access while preserving specialist capacity for more complex care. At the same time, faster workflows and reduced scan times contribute to a more seamless patient experience.
The impact extends across the system: increased throughput, shorter waiting times, and improved pathway flow all support earlier diagnosis—helping clinicians intervene sooner and improve long-term outcomes.
How does this align with the NHS 10 Year Plan?
Earlier Detection
Enabling faster access to CTCA helps identify disease before symptoms progress, supporting a more preventative approach to cardiovascular care.
Improved Access
More efficient pathways reduce delays between referral and diagnosis, helping clinicians make informed decisions sooner.
Sustainable Care Delivery
By combining advanced technology with innovative workforce models, healthcare providers can enhance patient experience, increase productivity, and support better long-term outcomes.
FREE Value-based healthcare case study with University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
Plus, meet the team behind the case study with our upcoming webinar.
CTCA Webinar
Value-Based Healthcare in Action:
Radiographer-Led, Drugless CTCA at UHP
17th September | 17:00 BST | Zoom Webinar
What does it take to transform a single-scanner service into one of England’s highest-performing CTCA programmes?
Don't miss our upcoming webinar with the team behind the transformation as they share how a drugless, radiographer-led CTCA service was built, the lessons learned from 1,400+ audited cases, and the practical steps that enabled safe, high-volume delivery. Discover what it takes to replicate this model—and what’s next for cardiac CT, from AI-enabled workflows to Community Diagnostic Centre expansion.
Ross Thorpe
Clinical Specialist Radiographer, Cardiac CT
Carl Roobottom
Professor of Radiology
Gareth Morgan-Hughes
Consultant Cardiologist
Secure your place below:
Understand the journey from single scanner to national leader
Discover how UHP became the #3 CTCA provider in England, and the operational, leadership and cultural changes that unlocked exceptional performance.
Learn how to launch a radiographer-led CTCA service
Explore the governance framework, stakeholder engagement and workforce transformation required to move from a traditional consultant-led model.
Benefit from lessons learned across 1,400+ audited cases
Hear the key challenges, unexpected barriers and critical success factors that helped maintain safety, diagnostic quality and clinical confidence.
Take away practical steps for your own transformation
Gain actionable insights on technology, training, service redesign and AI-enabled workflows to help shape the future of cardiac CT in your organisation.
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1British Heart Foundation (2024). UK Cardiovascular Disease Factsheet – January 2026. 2NHS England. Cardiovascular Disease Programme. 3NHS England (2025). Medium Term Planning Framework 2026/27–2028/29. 4Royal College of Radiologists (2025). Staff shortages are a ‘ticking time bomb’ for cancer patients.