Cancer screening without GP referral, says Health Secretary

author: FutureCar Staff    

The Health Secretary, Steve Barclay, has announced plans to allow people displaying signs of cancer to go straight for a scan without having to see a GP. This initiative aims to combat waiting lists in the NHS and provide patients with specialist help more quickly. Currently, individuals with cancer symptoms typically visit their GP, who then refers them to a specialist or for a scan.

The Department of Health and Social Care officials are working on proposals that could potentially enable patients to bypass the GP and go directly to an NHS diagnostic centre. Mr. Barclay stated that they are examining patient pathways and exploring the possibility of eliminating bottlenecks in the referral system. For example, in cases of breast cancer, where GPs usually refer patients for scans or to a hospital specialist, there may be an opportunity to streamline the process.

Additionally, Mr. Barclay mentioned that around 200,000 patients who have been on waiting lists for months could be given the option to choose their hospital, expediting their treatment. To address inefficiencies in the NHS and allocate more funds to frontline healthcare, he has enlisted the help of businessman Steve Rowe, the former chief executive of Marks & Spencer.

Reducing NHS waiting lists has been identified as one of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's top priorities. However, recent data indicates that the number of people waiting for treatment has increased by 700,000 since he assumed office.

FutureCar Staff