All breast cancer referrals to be seen within two weeks, Labour's pledge, UK

Main Category: Breast Cancer
Article Date: 18 Apr 2005 - 11:00 PDT

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John Reid, Labour's Health Secretary, speaking at a Labour Party press conference today, said:

"Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer for women with one in nine women at risk of developing it in their lifetime.

"Labour has been successful in ensuring 99% of breast cancer cases referred as "urgent" by GPs are seen by a specialist within two weeks. This has been a massive step forward from 1997 but I recognise more needs to be done.

"In March I attended a Breakthrough Breast Cancer 'conversation' event with over 50 women from across the country. One of the top concerns they had was over waiting times, both for diagnosis and treatment.

"I heard that substantial numbers of women, who are subsequently found to have cancer, are referred by their GP through the standard or non urgent route, and wait longer than two weeks to see a specialist.

"If a doctor refers you to a specialist with breast cancer it is a worrying time - regardless of whether they refer you as an urgent or non urgent referral.

"I've listened to women tell me that that wait is like putting your life on hold, waiting to get the certainty they need to confront their fears and put an end to the distress of their family and friends.

"Now Labour is acting to put an end to long periods of anxiety and uncertainty for all women referred for possible breast cancer

"If Labour is re-elected, by 2008 every woman referred for suspected breast cancer will see a specialist within two weeks.

"We are confident the NHS can achieve this ambitious goal, because some NHS hospitals are already achieving this goal, or very near to achieving it.

"These include Bristol, Walsall, Ipswich and King's in London.

"They've been successful because they have expanded capacity and nurse expertise, have multi-disciplinary ward rounds and have changed the way they do things to form a single fast track, combining urgent and non-urgent referrals.

"This announcement is just one aspect of Labour's headline pledge on the NHS, that if re-elected no-one will wait more than 18 weeks from seeing their family doctor to starting treatment.

"I am able to go further and to announce that anyone, man or women, who has symptoms that could be bowel cancer, could similarly be seen within two weeks.

"Taken together with the breast cancer screening programme I have already announced, this is another major step forward.

"These measures will all bring direct and speedier treatment to tens of thousands of people each year, but just as importantly they will bring reassurance to millions of people across the country by ending uncertainty.

"By contrast, the Conservatives want to end all initiatives to ensure speedy treatment for all NHS patients. They just don't want to talk about it.

"Instead, the Tory policy is to take £1.2 billion from NHS funds and give it to people who already pay to go private. That will take vital resources from the NHS and result in longer waits for everyone who can't afford to pay charges for operations.

"So the choice for voters is clear.

"If you value the NHS, and want speedy referrals for all women with suspected breast cancer, vote for it on May 5th."

http://www.labour.org.uk

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