BBC News - Early testing at heart of survival cancer drive
So, poor access by GPs to investigations, the reason for worse cancer survival figures in the UK, ?
Well I'm not a GP and therefore not ideally placed to answer this question but I cannot help but think that this is only part of the reason for late presentations and poor outcomes. Everyone agrees that early diagnosis is key to successful treatment of patients with cancer. However if the patient with lung cancer (to use an example) ignores his/her haemoptysis for weeks before presenting himself/herself to the GP or if the GP has spent weeks treating the persistent cough with antibiotics for months than a day here or there waiting for a CT is not going make a difference. In these specific examples, what would be needed is education on a massive scale. If on the other hand access to investigations is an issue, than only an oversupply of imaging services will ensure that every request is dealt with 'just in time' (toyota speak for immediately.) This means a huge investment in staff and equipment at a time when the NHS is trying to shed £20 billion. Does anybody know the real reason for the UK's poor outcomes ? Whatever the cause, the solutions will cost money. So don't expect any big changes in outcomes soon.
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