so , GP'S have not been sending patients for hospital treatment

[weas]

we all must write to our MP, I have also written to the health minister we cannot give GP'S the budget to pay with, they have shown they cannot be trusted.

[slaney]

Sqad - late referral may be a factor in other cancers but not breast.
The cancer figures widely reported in the headlines, and by politicians come from the EUROCARE database. These are historical and date back to 1999-2002, and do not reflect recent trends.
As you can see from Table 1 in this link there is a huge difference between the percentage of cancers reported in European countries - the UK reports100% as it has a National database, whereas countries like France and Spain respectively only report 15 and 16% of their total cancers, making it difficult to compare.

http://www.eurocare.i...79/Default.aspx#eu4dB

In an article in the BMJ recently John Appleby from the Kings Fund points out that in two instances- death rate from myocardial infarction and death rate from breast cancer, the UK will, if trends continue, should have lower death rates than France in one or two years, in spite of the fact that the UK spends 8.7% of it's GDP on healthcare as opposed to France 11.7%.

http://www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.d566.full

But I didn't see many headlines pointing that out, as it suits the purpose of politicians to see the NHS as broken and in need of their particular fix,

[Mamyalynne]

Weas , I think Boxy among others has outlined the financial restraints that have resulted in these cutbacks, but I am sure that if a referral to hospital is absolutely needed, no one would be refused it.

I understand your frustration if this has affected you personally.

[cazzz1975]

I agree completely with mamya, I am sure people who absolutely need the help, will get it.

[boxtops]

http://www.telegraph....rvices-warns-BMA.html cazzz, something like this one

[boxtops]

Indeed - as I responded, urgent cases were still being referred. We are now in a new financial year since 1 April, the picture may change.

[Sqad]

Slaney.....your point is well taken, but if your look at your first graph, that for Ca. breast, the UK is well down the league and continues to be so. I agree that recent comments about GP referrals are not the whole picture, but in my opinion GP referrals have always been slow..... certainly in the past 40 years and in my opinion this is reflected in the poor cancer survival rates, including breast.

If I have missed your point then please forgive me.

[cazzz1975]

thanks boxy!

[jackthehat]

You were so busy being angry that you neglected to explain the thrust of your post.

Of course GPs have been sending patients to Hospital. I've been myself in recent months as has my father........you need to give more details for us to understand exactly what your gripe is.

Multi-talented as I am, I'm not psychic.
Fred was in Winsford, in case anyone is interested.

[Sqad]

JTH

weas is making a "general" point, not a specific one and her concern is well founded in my opinion.

[Postdog]

Well I was wondering about Fred. Ta.

[boxtops]

I understand weas' annoyance if a hospital referral has not been made, but it's nothing to do with GP Commissioning Consortia, it's the Department of Health trying to put the NHS budget back in some semblance of balance, before the money is handed to the GPs who will commission. Everything we do, we are being told that it must be handed over in good order.

[slaney]

Sqad - the point I was making about breast cancer was that those tables refer to the period 1995-1999, when the results were falling behind other European countries, but if you look at the second article progress has been made since then and the gap is being closed.
I sometimes get a bit peeved when the NHS is made out to be worse than it is.

As regards other common cancers I completely agree that earlier referral is crucial to ensure better survival figures.

[boxtops]

There's still a two-week target from seeing the GP to seeing a specialist, for cancers. but it doesn't always seem to be helping diagnosis, according to Pulse http://www.pulsetoday...asp?storycode=4011992

[anneasquith]

fao weas. hi, may i point out i posted in your defence on your question, and was in no way being rude, and yes i did post a thread recently and i really appreciated the support i received.