Glenrothes and Central Fife MP Peter Grant is supporting a campaign to help speed up the diagnosis and treatment of blood cancers. He attended a recent event in the House of Lords in Parliament as part of his commitment to help reduce diagnosis delays for people with blood cancer. He heard from nurses, doctors and patients at the reception organised by the blood cancer charity Bloodwise.
NHS figures show people with blood cancer are more likely to visit their GP multiple times before being diagnosed than for any other cancer.
A public petition launched by Bloodwise calling for Governments across the UK to ‘End the Delays’ has now reached over 10,000 signatures. A recent survey by the charity found that three quarters of GPs wanted more training or time with patients to help them diagnose blood cancer symptoms more effectively.
Peter Grant MP said: “I’ve had very good friends who have died from blood cancers and I’ve seen the awful effect it had on them and their families. There are over 100 types of blood cancer, and it is sadly the 3rdbiggest cancer killer in the UK. Often the symptoms are vague and patients can be tested for many other conditions before they get a full diagnosis. As with many forms of cancer, early diagnosis can make a huge difference.”
Phil Reynolds, Policy Manager at Bloodwise, said: “It’s fantastic to have Peter Grant MP’s support for the campaign. There is a clear need for more support to help GPs identify possible cases, know how to interpret often-complex test results and ensure patients with unexplained symptoms do not slip through the net.”
People can sign the ‘End the Delays’ petition at bloodwise.eaction.org.uk/endthedelays. Information about blood cancer symptoms is available at Bloodwise.org.uk and via its free helpline on 0808 2080 888.