Patients bypassing GP for cancer screenings

author: FutureCar Staff    

Ministers in England have made a commitment to establish 160 community diagnostic centers by 2025 to address the backlog of diagnoses and speed up the process. Currently, patients are referred by their GP to undergo checks at these centers. Health Secretary Steve Barclay has expressed hope that these units can expand their role, allowing individuals with symptoms of certain cancers to undergo checks without a GP referral. This announcement follows previous promises to increase cancer screening, including lung cancer checks for former smokers aged 55 and older and efforts to develop vaccines for cancer prevention.

Health officials are preparing to remove most cancer targets and focus on three out of the existing ten measures. The changes aim to prioritize faster diagnosis and treatment rather than adhering to a "tickbox process." However, some senior clinicians are concerned that patients with cancer symptoms are attending multiple appointments without receiving the necessary diagnostic test results. The targets that will remain include diagnosing cancer within 28 days of referral, starting treatment within two months of an urgent referral, and beginning treatment one month after a decision has been made.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has accused the government of changing the rules. However, health officials argue that the proposed changes are supported by leading experts and major cancer charities because they emphasize earlier diagnosis and treatment. In an effort to reduce backlogs, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced earlier this year that patients on NHS waiting lists will have the power to choose where they receive treatment. From October, approximately 200,000 individuals who have been waiting for at least nine months and have not yet had an appointment scheduled will be contacted and offered the opportunity to switch hospitals, potentially reducing their wait times by three months.

In addition, the Health Secretary has written to health officials in Wales and Scotland, inviting them to send patients facing long waits to England to expedite their treatment. Research has shown that patients in Wales are almost four times more likely to experience year-long waits compared to those in England. Both the Conservative and Labour parties are focusing on healthcare as they gear up for upcoming elections. While England's waiting list has reached a record high of 7.6 million, the Tories are highlighting the longer waits in Labour-run Wales.

Steve Barclay, the Health Secretary, will announce £210 million in funding to combat superbugs during his visit to India for a G20 Health Ministers meeting. Antimicrobial resistance is estimated to cause up to 35,000 deaths annually in the UK. The funding from the UK aid budget will be directed towards Asia and Africa to address this global issue. Barclay has reiterated that this year's award for hospital consultants, which includes a 10.3% increase for junior doctors, is a "fair and final offer." He has urged the British Medical Association to reconsider their stance, as the strikes have already cost the taxpayer £1 billion.

Barclay is determined to focus on efficiency within the NHS and has enlisted the help of former M&S chief Steve Rowe to lead efforts against waste. They are examining the cost base of the Department of Health and Social Care and exploring ways to redirect funding to frontline services. Barclay has already reduced the department's headcount by one-sixth through a recruitment freeze and voluntary redundancies and is considering reducing the number of offices by half. He is also advocating for the maximum utilization of resources, including the independent sector. Additionally, technology and innovation will play a key role in streamlining the NHS, with plans to allow patients to access test results through the NHS app without having to call their GP.

FutureCar Staff