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Cancer Improvement and Earlier Diagnosis

Cancer Improvement and Earlier Diagnosis

Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services

Rapid Cancer Diagnosis Services provide fast, quality care for patients with non-specific symptoms suspicious of cancer. In 2024/2025, a new service was established in NHS Forth Valley.

This has provided an additional 54 GP practices and 306,000 people with access to a gold standard diagnostic pathway that can rule cancer in or out at pace.

"Be the Early Bird" Campaign

The “Be the Early Bird” campaign encourages people with unusual and persistent symptoms across Scotland to get checked early for cancer. It emphasises that finding cancer early can lead to better treatment options and outcomes, as well as better news to tell friends and family. The latest phase launched a new character – “Bonnie the seagull” – that featured across campaign assets and adverts to highlight possible symptoms of head and neck cancers.

Impact of “Be the Early Bird” public campaign

  • Targeted people aged 40+ from areas of deprivation.
  • Designed to encourage health seeking behaviour.
  • Roadshow targeting most deprived areas:
    • 94% target audience reached
    • 5,000 roadshow engagements
    • 4,000+ active users on Early Bird website
    • On average the target audience had 11 opportunities to see or hear the
      campaign through the paid media strategy.

GatewayC Education Platform – Boosting Cancer Referral Confidence

GatewayC is a new online education platform aimed at improving primary care clinicians’ confidence in recognising and referring patients with a suspicion of cancer. Evaluation has shown that the completion of the GatewayC module(s) increases clinical confidence and symptom recognition, whilst decreasing referral related stress.

Since launch in 2024, there have been 1,184 registrations and 732 course
completions.

Framework for Effective Cancer Management

The Framework for Effective Cancer Management was recently refreshed. This national guidance outlines 10 elements for managing efficient cancer services and ensuring improved performance and patient experience.

The refresh has added 2 new elements to the framework:

  1. managing demand and capacity; and
  2. ensuring the patient voice and experience is considered.

Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer (SRGs)

The team led a robust, evidence based clinical review of the Scottish Referral Guidelines (SRGs) for Suspected Cancer.

This involved:

  • 14 peer review sessions which engaged
  • 210 stakeholders covering
  • 13 cancer referral pathways.

The review process was well received, with over 90% of stakeholders stating that the updated guidance clearly reflects current evidence and that the review process offered meaningful opportunities for contribution.

 

Spotlights