RAPID ACCESS, ASSESMENT & REFERRAL PROGRAMME
This is one of its kind, a pilot programme, which we have launched in primary care, in association with Thames Valley Cancer Alliance.
What it is ?
We are planning to bring an enormous change in the perception of GP access of appointments for suspected cancer and eliminate any delayed presentation due to any possible bottlenecks at primary care level.
How are we going to do this?
For our patient population of nearly 10,000, we have planned a provision for 5-6 such patient presentation per day, that’s 25- 30 / week on a normal working week. All such patients will be triaged by GP and will be seen either on the same day, or on the next day by our clinical team. We will arrange primary care investigations [& follow them up] and/ or 2 Week Wait referral as appropriate.
Challenges?
There is a need for increased awareness of symptoms [and findings] of possible cancer presentation in community & in primary care.
It is also of paramount importance that the increased awareness is then backed up with adequate access to clinicians for assessment, investigation & referral. We want to address both.
What guidance we will follow?
We will be following the NICE NG12 guidance in this matter & will cover all the recommendations organised by symptoms and findings of primary care investigations. These covers: Abdominal symptoms, Bleeding, Gynaecological symptoms, Lumps or masses, Neurological symptoms in adults, Pain, Respiratory symptoms, Skeletal symptoms, Skin or surface symptoms, Urological symptoms, Non-specific features of cancer, Primary care investigations and Symptoms in children and young people.
If you have any sign or symptom of suspected cancer, we will provide same day or next day appointment for you at Hanover House or Lynton House Surgery. Please visit our website or contact us on 01494 415 788 for further details.
We sincerely hope that this will be a very successful programme with all the support from you, and this will change suspected cancer access in primary care.
