Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
One in three (32%) referrals made by GPs through the two-week wait cancer pathway were downgraded as less urgent over the last year, according to responses from 264 salaried and partner GPs to a GPonline poll. A total of 27% had had a referral bounced back or refused over the last 12 months.
Overall, 39% had a referral either downgraded or bounced back, and 23% of GPs whose referrals been handled in this way later discovered that the patient affected did have cancer.
The results suggest a slight rise compared with a previous investigation by GPonline last year.
GP leaders warned that restricting GP access to diagnostics was ‘short-sighted’ and could have ‘devastating’ consequences for patients.
http://www.gponline.com/exclusive-urgent-cancer-scans-blocked-two-five-gps/cancer/article/1428501
(free registration)
Overall, 39% had a referral either downgraded or bounced back, and 23% of GPs whose referrals been handled in this way later discovered that the patient affected did have cancer.
The results suggest a slight rise compared with a previous investigation by GPonline last year.
GP leaders warned that restricting GP access to diagnostics was ‘short-sighted’ and could have ‘devastating’ consequences for patients.
http://www.gponline.com/exclusive-urgent-cancer-scans-blocked-two-five-gps/cancer/article/1428501
(free registration)
