Hampshire GP concerned older people aren't getting cancer symptoms checked

A survey by Cancer Research UK has found that 53% of GPs have noticed fewer older patients contacting them with possible cancer symptoms, compared to before the pandemic.

Doctors also said they were hearing from patients in other groups far less too, including:

• 40% were worried about patients with learning difficulties not coming forward

• 35% of GPs had been contacted less often by those whose first language isn't English

• 23% were concerned about fewer appointments being booked by those from poorer backgrounds

• 22% of doctors had heard less from people from ethnic minorities

• 21% were worried about those with existing health conditions not getting symptoms checked

Dr Richard Roope is a GP in Hampshire and explains why he thinks people are staying away:

"(Patients) listened to the message that came out in March and April, which was 'Save the NHS' - so they dutifully stayed away from the NHS. I think since then, there's been an atmosphere of fear that they didn't want to come to any health location because of the fear of catching Covid."

The findings of the survey come after Cancer Research UK asked 1,000 UK GPs about their experiences with patients compared to before the pandemic.

The charity's now concerned that people aren't coming forward to get symptoms checked over, and that in turn could lead to later diagnoses.

Hampshire doctor Richard Roope is Cancer Reseach UK's GP adviser, and says it's vital that cancers are identified as early as possible:

"If we catch cancers early, there's a much greater chance of being able to give a treatment that's going to be effective with a successful outcome. It also means that you're that fitter - if the treatment is quite complex, you're fitter as you go into that treatment and then a better outcome is expected."

According to Cancer Research UK, age is the biggest risk factor for the disease, with 36% of all cancer cases in the UK diagnosed in people over the age of 75.

That's why doctors are keen to make sure that generation continues to get in touch with any concerns they might have.

Dr Richard Roope says older people should feel reassured that medical help is still available at this time:

"I think it's a mixture that stoicism that that generation have, the stiff upper lip that they'll put up with it. There's also a misplaced fear that maybe surgeries are not a particularly safe place to be, but we've bent over backwards to make sure they are safe places to be."