Prompt Cancer Diagnosis Could Save Lives
Research carried out by the Independent Cancer Taskforce, a body established by NHS England and a broad spectrum of healthcare regulators, has indicated that 11,000 lives per year could be saved if the time between GP referral to diagnosis report is reduced to 28 days. Under the new measures, cancer patients can also choose to access their test results online.
280,000 people in England are currently diagnosed with cancer each year, with half surviving 10 years or more after the diagnosis is confirmed.
Although patients usually see a specialist within 14 days of being referred, they sometimes face a long wait before they find out their results. This delay often means that they miss the current NHS target of starting to receive the necessary treatment 62 days after referral.
5 hospitals are to try achieving the target as part of a new trial, and if this works the target will be rolled out to all other hospitals nationwide.
Jamie Green, Trainee Legal Executive with Fieldfisher says, "This seems like a great opportunity to reduce the number of deaths relating to late diagnosis of cancer, but it is important that the system of relaying the message to patients is efficient and gets the proper investment required from the Government, including employing the extra skilled staff required to make this work."
Jamie is a Trainee Legal Executive in Fieldfisher's Personal Injury and Medical Negligence Department. In September 2015, Fieldfisher's Personal Injury and Medical Negligence practice was awarded Tier 1 in the Legal 500, the most comprehensive worldwide coverage on recommended Law firms, Lawyers, Attorneys, Advocates, Solicitors and Barristers.
Although patients usually see a specialist within 14 days of being referred, they sometimes face a long wait before they find out their results. This delay often means that they miss the current NHS target of starting to receive the necessary treatment 62 days after referral.
5 hospitals are to try achieving the target as part of a new trial, and if this works the target will be rolled out to all other hospitals nationwide.
Jamie Green, Trainee Legal Executive with Fieldfisher says, "This seems like a great opportunity to reduce the number of deaths relating to late diagnosis of cancer, but it is important that the system of relaying the message to patients is efficient and gets the proper investment required from the Government, including employing the extra skilled staff required to make this work."
Jamie is a Trainee Legal Executive in Fieldfisher's Personal Injury and Medical Negligence Department. In September 2015, Fieldfisher's Personal Injury and Medical Negligence practice was awarded Tier 1 in the Legal 500, the most comprehensive worldwide coverage on recommended Law firms, Lawyers, Attorneys, Advocates, Solicitors and Barristers.