Senior Lecturer Dr Peter Knapp to work with Yorkshire Cancer Research
Posted on 27 May 2015
Yorkshire Cancer Research is launching an investigation into why patients with suspected cancer do not turn up for urgent appointments as part of the charity’s new strategy to end cancer inequalities in the county.Since 2000 the NHS has been required to make sure patients with suspected cancer are seen by a hospital specialist within two weeks of their GP requesting an appointment, but many people postpone or do not attend.
During 2012-13, 16.5% of patients from Leeds referred by their GPs were not seen in two weeks, often because they either did not attend or cancelled their consultation.
Dr Peter Knapp, Senior Lecturer in Evidence-Based Decision Making from the Department of Health Sciences and the Hull York Medical School will investigate the reasons behind non-attendance, the consequences of not attending and identify new ways to prevent it from happening. The study, funded by a £190,000 investment from the charity, will be the first to look specifically at the reasons why people fail to show up.
Dr Knapp said: “Early cancer diagnosis has an important influence on the effectiveness of treatment and the chance of survival. The two-week policy is intended to reduce wait time and accelerate diagnosis and treatment, so the fact that this target is not being met raises concerns about missed or delayed diagnosis. By understanding why patients do not attend these appointments, we could have a significant impact on cancer outcomes in Yorkshire.”
For more information visit http://yorkshirecancerresearch.org.uk/news/investigation-patients-failure-attend-appointments/#.VWgTH6NwaUk