[ad_1]
A damning report reveals that more than 17,000 Britons are dying needlessly of cancer each year because of the delay in obtaining a diagnosis.
General practitioners are much less likely to investigate cancer or refer patients to specialists than doctors in countries with higher survival rates.
Getty – Contributor
Professor Sir Mike Richards, former government official for cancer, said the failures are "equivalent to a jumbo jet falling from the sky every two weeks."
He warned that too many patients were having trouble seeing a GP and accessing key tests that increase their chances.
One in five tumors are still present in emergencies when the disease is probably incurable. But patients are up to 70% more likely to defeat bad cancer if they are picked up early.
The charity's report The Health Foundation calls for more and faster routine checks
Other ideas include getting tested without consulting a general practitioner for conditions such as lung cancer.
And while Theresa May is committed to having 75% of cancers detected early in 2028 – up from 50% now – researchers are warning that more staff and equipment are needed.
Currently, the United Kingdom ranks 27th out of 38 European countries for CT scanners and 25 out of 27 for MRI scanners.
Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard of the Royal College of GPs said, "GPs are severely criticized for sending too many patients to specialized care and complaining if they do not do enough.
"What we desperately need is for general practitioners to have better access to high-quality diagnostic tools and the right training to use them."
NHS England said last night: "The NHS now receives two million urgent referrals a year at the GP.
"Cancer survival rates are at their highest level and work to ensure faster, earlier diagnosis and treatment."
[ad_2]
Source link
