8. Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Bowel cancer

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:23 pm on 16 May 2018.

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Photo of Rhun ap Iorwerth Rhun ap Iorwerth Plaid Cymru 5:23, 16 May 2018

The motion, and all speakers, have reflected the importance of early diagnosis, whether that comes from screening or getting people referred for testing a lot more quickly as a result of symptoms that they approach a GP with, and both of those routes to diagnosis and getting more people on that road to diagnosis are going to be vitally important parts of how we improve survival rates. I think there needs to be something of a culture change from both the public here and the Government and our health service. The public understand that they need to take up the screening opportunities—you're quite right, Cabinet Secretary, to point out that this is voluntary. I should be told off at this point by Dawn Bowden for forgetting to bring my testing kit down to the Assembly Chamber with me today; it's upstairs in my bag. But we have to be willing and eager to talk about these issues, and when we have the opportunities to check on our health we should be grasping those opportunities with both hands, no matter how embarrassing or difficult we may perceive those issues to be to talk about.

The public also need to understand that they have to go to see their GP earlier when experiencing symptoms—again, not ducking embarrassment. And the Government also needs to understand that well-meaning campaigns asking people to stay away from the GP unless absolutely necessary can be counterproductive; it's something that I've warned about in the past. And those changes will inevitably lead to increased pressures on primary care, increased pressures on diagnostic capacity, but, in budgetary terms, I have no doubt at all that savings of early intervention will far outweigh the costs. And, to put a financial costs to one side, of course, we owe it to those for whom bowel cancer is a reality to give them the best possible fighting chance. We've heard Sam Gould's name mentioned on a number of occasions; we're thinking about Steffan Lewis this afternoon.