Are GPs failing to diagnose cancer?

Since the COVID-19 pandemic period drew to a close, many healthcare practices facilitated during that time seem to have become standard in the post-pandemic world.

One of these is telephone GP consultations. As useful as these can be in very specific circumstances, for cases where something more sinister may be going on in relation to symptoms, it is almost always going to be better to see a patient in-person to avoid potentially overlooking something that could only be picked up by meeting face-to-face.

If a GP were to see a patient in person rather than via telephone consultation, could a potentially very serious condition be picked up where it wouldn’t be noticed at all if they were consulted remotely?

The most commonly identified signs of cancer:

Change in bowel habits/bladder function
Fatigue
Fever
Lumps
Pain
Skin changes
Unexplained weight loss

If a patient is suspected to have cancer, they should be placed immediately on a two-week wait for the cancer referral pathway. Failing to see a GP in person means that a GP hasn’t carried out a full physical examination, and it is possible that all the signs and potential symptoms haven’t been picked up on due to a lack of physical presence.

In cases such as this, patients can find themselves in a situation where there has been no opportunity for a prompt referral to be made in the first instance. This can then result in a delayed cancer diagnosis, potentially exacerbating the condition and leading to a poorer prognosis, more invasive treatment requirements like surgery, instead of less dramatic and milder interventions.

Even on the referral pathway, delays can happen and can result in the patient receiving a late diagnosis.

If you believe that your condition has been made worse or you have suffered harm due to a late referral or misdiagnosis, you may wish to seek out legal advice.