Speeding up the diagnosis of respiratory syncytial virus, using tests like the Roche Cobas Liat system, could reduce the spread of infection and produce cost savings for NHS hospitals.

Problem

In the UK, approximately 30,000 children under 5 years are hospitalised every year due to Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infection. This costs the UK approximately £65 million each year in healthcare resources. The virus is highly contagious so there is a need for a fast and accurate test for RSV to prevent the spread of the infection in hospital. However, within current practice, it can take over 24 hours to receive a test result.

Action

• We were commissioned by Roche Diagnostics to independently assess the accuracy of the Roche cobas® Liat system for diagnosing RSV near the beside in hospital departments and wards.
• We also examined the economic impact of using their platform.
• We designed, co-ordinated and analysed the clinical study which recruited 186 patients and was performed at the Newcastle Great North Children’s Hospital and Sunderland Royal Hospital.
• Parent groups guided the study design and public facing information we developed.

Outcome

• The cobas Liat system performed as well as standard laboratory-based testing during the evaluation.
• The waiting time for a test result was reduced, on average, to 36 minutes.
• We identified a potential saving in isolation resource use of half a day per patient if the test was used.
• We also predicted a saving of £50-100 per patient if the test was implemented.
• This could lead to over £1.8 million NHS cost savings per year in total.

Impact

• The cobas Liat system is now in use across 23 NHS Trusts.
• This project has led to further collaborations with Roche Diagnostics including evaluating their SARS-CoV-2 & Flu A/B Rapid Antigen Test (Roche LFD).

Parents shared their thoughts on the importance of a test for RSV:

“I think as a parent it gives you piece of mind knowing actually what’s wrong.”

“You don’t know what a child’s immune system is like and you could be putting them in danger.”

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