Department of Health written question – answered at on 13 October 2014.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to secure earlier diagnosis of brain tumours in children; and if he will make a statement.
Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer, published on 12 January 2011, committed over £450 million over the four years up to 2014-15 to achieve earlier diagnosis of cancer, including supporting direct general practitioner (GP) access to key diagnostic tests such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging scans to support the diagnosis of brain cancer. The funding also covers subsequent testing and treatment in secondary care.
To increase awareness of brain tumours amongst GPs the Department funded British Medical Journal Learning to provide an e-learning module for GPs on diagnosing osteosarcoma and brain tumours in children. The module helps GPs to understand the main types of brain tumours in children and young people, and their common presentations, and to recognise when patients need urgent referral.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is in the process of updating the Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer (2005) to ensure that it reflects latest evidence and can continue to support GPs to identify patients with the symptoms of suspected cancer, including brain tumours, and urgently refer them as appropriate. NICE’s anticipated publication date for the revised guidelines is May 2015.
I have written to all health and wellbeing boards and the Department for Education about awareness-raising materials available for distribution, and Public Health England has written in similar terms to Directors of Public Health.
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