Early Diagnosis-work at Hammersmith Hospital-UK

[PressWatch]

From Presswatch.

Plans to switch funding to GP Consortiums may create the opportunity for improved 'early' diagnosis of all Upper GI Cancers. It is hoped that this may improve survival rates for Pancreatic Cancer which has elusive and usually late symptoms which make diagnosis problematic

http://www.nwlcn.nhs.uk/.../100923%20Pancreatic%20TWG%20Mins%20final.pdf

9. Early diagnosis of cancer

......mentioned that new government legislation states that there will be a 30% shift of finance from the acute sector to the primary care sector via new GP consortiums. This shift will create opportunities to improve the early diagnosis of UGI cancer, which will improve the overall survival rate. He stated that follow-up care will also be diverted to the primary care sector.

LJ presented his study on the delivery of early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

LJ mentioned the prospect of setting up a pancreatic screening programme at Hammersmith Hospital and its position in aiding early diagnosis along with a screening algorithm.

He mentioned the need to have a complete algorithm for the North West sector that can be given to the GPs to use in implementing early diagnosis. NH suggested that a small team from the TWG should be responsible for delivering information to GPs to assist them to make an early diagnosis. NH asked LJ to lead this initiative.

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