Deadly cancers are being missed

GPS are urging patients with cancer symptoms to visit their practices amid a slump in referrals across the county during the pandemic.

Figures show some Kent surgeries have seen falls of up to two-thirds in the number of patients they are referring to specialists.

At Park Surgery in Herne Bay, the decrease in April was 58% year-on-year.

Dr Jeremy Carter, pictured below, a partner at the practice, is concerned serious illnesses are being missed. “People’s fear of Covid would be the obvious assumption to make – whether it’s a fear of going to the practice or just going out,” he explained.

“The concern would be you’ve got a cohort of patients with an illness that hasn’t been identified.

“For things like cancer in particular, the sooner you pick it up, the better.”

In all, Park Surgery made 68 suspected cancer referrals last month, compared to 168 in the same period last year. Meanwhile, Gravesend GP Dr Manpinder Sahota estimates that bookings have fallen by two-thirds since the outbreak of the killer virus.

“There’s been a huge drop,” he said. “I’ve tried to persuade some patients to come in. “People are frightened to come to the surgery or report any symptoms and, thus, there’s a massive reduction in not just cancer referrals, but all referrals. This an issue at every surgery – every one that I know.” Cancer Research UK says the number of referrals for urgent hospital checks is down by as much as 75%.

An estimated 2,300 cancers are being missed every week as a result and many operable cancers becoming untreatable. And Dr Carter is calling on residents not to ignore symptoms of illnesses by reminding them that safeguards are in place to try to prevent them from contracting Covid-19.

“We’re trying to pick up patients at the moment who may have been apprehensive about contacting us,” he said. “They should call the doctor. There are systems in place that allow us to see them if we need to.”

Next week, the NHS is launching an ad campaign urging those who are ill to visit their GP or hospital, or dial 999 or 111.

It will also call on people to access vital services such as cancer screening and treatment, maternity appointments and mental health support should they need it.