Women who find a lump in their breast will bypass GP and get cancer appointment via NHS app

Health Secretary Wes Streeting made NHS App fast-track announcement for breast cancer while also vowing to open up GP patient records for scientific research

Women who find a lump in their breast and are worried it may be cancer will be able to bypass their GP and book an appointment with a hospital specialist via the NHS app.

Wes Streeting announced the move in a speech to GP in which he criticised the “pointless appointments you’re forced to hold and patients are forced to attend”. The Health Secretary also made a “game changing” announcement that he will order NHS England to open up GP records on consenting patients for scientific research.

NHS app users will be able to click on the ‘111 online’ option and fill out some questions before being able to arrange their hospital appointment. The change will start with a trial in Somerset and if successful could be rolled out nationwide.

Speaking at the annual conference of the Royal College of GPs, Mr Streeting said: “The frustration I hear from staff and patients alike are the pointless appointments you’re forced to hold and patients are forced to attend. You didn’t go through five years of medical school plus five years of training to tick boxes. So where there are appointments that can be cut out, with patients seen by specialists faster and GPs’ time freed up to do what only GPs can do, we will act.

“Starting in November, 111 online, which is available through the NHS app, will pilot directly referring women with a worrying lump to a breast clinic. That means faster diagnosis for cancer patients. And more GP appointments freed up. Better for patients and better for GPs.” The Department for Health and Social Care said the scheme will be evaluated before any further roll-out could be considered.

Sally Kum, nursing director at Breast Cancer Now, said: “Two thirds of breast cancers in England are detected when women find a new or unusual breast change and get this checked out by a GP. The earlier breast cancer is diagnosed the better the chance of treatment being successful, and lives being saved from this disease. We look forward to seeing the results and impact of this pilot scheme, critical to its sustainability and success will be its consideration of the capacity and resource needs of 111 in delivering the service.”

Mr Streeting also announced he will open up anonymised GP patient data - if a patient has consented - to approved research organisations. Experts say the vast scale of the NHS means opening up the database could transform scientific research into conditions such as diabetes, dementia and depression.

Mr Streeting said: “We need to work together to create a single patient record, owned by the patient, shared across the system so that every part of the NHS has a full picture of the patient. This applies as much to research as to care. The two go hand in hand. World-leading studies like the UK Biobank, Genomics England, and Our Future Health are building up incredibly detailed profiles of our nation’s health.

“Patients have given their consent for their data to be shared with these studies. But we still see, far too often, that this data is not shared according to patients’ wishes. That’s why I am directing NHS England to take away this burden from you. Just like they did during the pandemic, if a patient explicitly consents to sharing their data with a study, NHS England will take responsibility for making this happen.”

The Mirror has previously visited the UK Biobank laboratory near Stockport which is home to the largest such project in the world. It stores 10 million genetic samples from 500,000 volunteers recruited in the last two decades. Each participant has provided around 10,000 forms of information from whole genome sequencing and saliva, blood and urine samples, to regular dietary surveys, cognitive tests, stress levels, FitBit readings and their full medical histories. Adding GP data could help authorised scientists using the database reveal unprecedented insights into the causes of disease as participants recruited in middle age begin to fall ill and die.

Professor Naomi Allen, Chief Scientist, UK Biobank, said: “This brilliant news is a game-changing development. This addition to the resource will open the door to future research into the causes, treatment and prevention of many diseases that are often diagnosed and managed by GPs, such as diabetes, dementia and depression.”

Professor Sir Rory Collins, chief executive of UK Biobank, said: “Twenty years ago, half a million UK volunteers selflessly donated their biological samples and health data to UK Biobank. Despite their explicit consent, and our efforts over the years engaging with individual GP practices, we have not been able to access the data on a large scale. Wes Streeting’s directive will take the burden off busy and overworked GPs, putting it into the central hands of NHS England and fulfilling our founders and participants’ original hopes.”