New Figures Highlight 10,000 Cancer Cases Are Spotted Late Due To Postcode Lottery

Specialist medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell have called for more to be done to put an end to the postcode lottery on cancer diagnosis, following new research released by Cancer Research UK today.

New figures from the charity suggest that almost 10,000 cancer patients are being diagnosed too late due to severe variations in NHS care across the UK.

Almost 50% of all cancer patients in Merseyside were diagnosed in stage three or four, whereas in Bath, Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire the figure was just over 40%, resulting in nearly a 10% difference between the regions.

The worst areas of late diagnosis across the UK were Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Durham, Darlington and Tees, South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw, and Kent and Medway. 

A list of the top areas are Bath, Gloucester, Swindon and Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, East Anglia, Bristol, Somerset and South Gloucestershire, and Arden, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
Experts suggest that the variations in cancer diagnosis are partly due to GP’s failing to spot less obvious warning signs and also not referring patients for urgent hospital appointments. There are also demands on family doctors to reduce the number of hospital referrals. 

Specialist medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell represent many people who have suffered as a result of delays in their diagnoses, particularly where cancer is concerned. These incidents have had a huge impact on their lives and the lives of their families.

Lisa Jordan, Partner and Head of the medical negligence team at Irwin Mitchell, said: