Don’t delay seeking help, urge GPs as study reveals

PEOPLE with concerns about their health should not delay seeking help, leading GPs have said.

The Royal College of GPs said it “cannot stress enough” how important it is for patients to continue to seek help during the pandemic.

The comments come after a new study found that thanks to early referrals from GPs, cancer patients were surviving for longer than ever.

The study was conducted before the Covid-19 pandemic.

But concerns have been raised that as a result of the UK lockdown, people are deferring seeking help for routine health problems.

If patients have a medical problem, then a delay in seeking help could lead to more serious illness.

Experts from King’s College London and Public Health England analysed data from 1.4 million cancer patients in England who were diagnosed 2011 and 2015.

The study, published in the British Journal of General Practice, found that cancer patients from the highest referring GP practices had a lower mortality rate.

Cancer patients from these same practices were between also more likely to be diagnosed at an earlier stage for breast, lung and prostate cancer.

If a GP suspects a patient has cancer, they can fasttrack refer them so they can be seen by a specialist within two weeks.

“This research shows that GPs are referring substantially more patients with suspected cancer, which is making a real impact in improving cancer outcomes in the NHS,” said Dr Thomas Round, from King’s College London.

Commenting on the study, Professor Martin Marshall, chairman of the Royal College of GPs, said: