1. What actions is the Welsh Government taking to improve cancer detection rates? OAQ(5)0064(FM)

We will continue with our population screening programmes for breast, cervical and bowel cancer, as well as improve our support to GPs to better recognise symptoms and improve the access to testing.

Thank you, First Minister. Last week was Cervical Screening Awareness Week, a Europe-wide project to raise awareness of the role of screening in tackling cervical cancer. While mortality rates for cervical cancer are dropping, there was also a slight decline in screening uptake, and I’m particularly concerned that one in three 25 to 29-year-olds don’t attend their smear tests. How can the Welsh Government encourage more women of all ages, but younger women in particular, to attend the screenings that could save their lives?

Well, the screening engagement team of Public Health Wales is working with local public health teams, health boards and primary care clusters to consider cervical screening uptake in each region and planned specific activities to improve uptake, including social media activity. There has been a specific focus on the groups in each region where uptake is lowest.

It’s not unusual for a GP to fail to diagnose the symptoms of cancer during the first appointment. But, if a diagnosis is ultimately made following a second or third appointment, does the First Minister agree that the clock should start ticking, in terms of when treatment should start, from the time of that first appointment, because swift treatment for patients is the most important thing, not hitting Government targets?

Well, it is the patient, of course, who is important in this. But, as regards diagnostic tests, for example, may I say that we’ve seen a significant improvement in the past year? The figures for April 2016, for example, are 23 per cent lower than the figures for April of last year, and 40 per cent lower than the high point in July of last year. What is important, of course, is that tests are conducted and that results are received as soon as possible.

First Minister, young children between nought and 14 are far more likely—or, in fact, are twice as likely—to be diagnosed through emergency presentation for cancer. I would like you to consider the children’s charity CLIC Sargent and their call that the refreshed Wales cancer delivery plan, which is intended for later this year, should improve initial and ongoing training in children and young people’s health for primary care professionals, and should report on the level of access that GP practices have to paediatric and young people’s health expertise, to address just this issue. To be between nought and 14 years old and not find out that you have cancer until you have been rushed into accident and emergency is not really an acceptable way forward. I think your Government needs to look to see how it can address that situation.

Yes, many cancers, of course, present themselves at A&E. People live with the symptoms, not knowing what the symptoms are. With children, I suspect—though I am not medically qualified—the assumption will always be that it is something else. It is difficult for GPs to diagnose cancer at an early stage. Nevertheless, as part of the refreshing of the cancer delivery plan, we will look at what can be done in order to assist GPs and other primary care professionals to improve their ability to detect cancer, where that’s possible, as quickly as possible.

First Minister, as someone who has survived cancer, I can tell you from first-hand experience that early diagnosis is key to survival. GPs are the front line in the fight against cancer, and are critical for early diagnosis. First Minister, Cancer Research UK found that there is a huge variation in GPs’ direct access to diagnostic tests in Wales. What will your Government do over the next five years to ensure that every GP has access to vital diagnostic tests? Diolch.

I think I answered this question in response to the question posed by the Member for Ynys Môn—that is that reducing diagnostic waiting times is a priority for this Government. We see from the figures that I mentioned earlier that diagnostic waiting times are reducing very quickly in Wales.