Earlier this year, a new Rapid On Site Evaluation (ROSE) service was introduced at Forth Valley Royal Hospital to help speed up and improve lung cancer diagnosis. The service is a collaboration between our Respiratory and Pathology teams, and it’s already making a difference.
ROSE allows specialists to assess samples taken during a procedure called Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS) in real time. This helps ensure that the samples are good enough to make a clear diagnosis — and that there’s enough material for vital genetic testing. The result means faster diagnoses, quicker lab results, and earlier discussion at MDT meetings to help reduce waiting times for patients.
The team behind the new service includes Drs Jonathan Gareze and Laura Maclean, and biomedical science staff Dawn Sutherland and Claire Mullen, who trained at St Thomas’ Hospital in London to bring ROSE to NHS Forth Valley. They work closely with our respiratory consultants — Drs Ronan Breen, Euan Cameron, Alison MacKenzie, and Claribel Simmons — who carry out EBUS procedures.
The service is also supported by a dedicated team of endoscopy nurses, including Heather Everingham, Gemma Higgins, Emma Jenkins, Julie Mills, Breeda Proctor, Charley Shanks, Pamela Stewart, and Nicole Swanston, who have quickly adapted to the new process for handling samples.
Biomedical Scientist Calum Granger has also been trained to process ROSE samples, with plans to train more lab staff to ensure the service can continue smoothly.
Currently, the service is running on a one-year trial, but there’s ongoing work to secure longer-term funding. Feedback so far has been positive, and the team hopes to make ROSE a permanent part of the lung cancer diagnostic pathway at FVRH.
