9. Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Early Cancer Diagnosis

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:40 pm on 11 March 2020.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Suzy Davies Suzy Davies Conservative 4:40, 11 March 2020

Well, I can—. You pick perhaps one of the saddest examples of precisely that point there, Mike, because people will feel just unwell at various points, and just think, 'Oh, this must be a passing virus' or whatever, rather than taking this opportunity to get into a system that might actually save their lives.

One good thing as well about this system that they've got in Neath Port Talbot, apart from the fact that you get called in, is you get tested and you get your results interpreted and a diagnosis made within a week—a week, imagine that—and that's done because we have radiologists and nurses and GPs, perhaps other relevant medics, in the room right early on in the process. That's what seems to be the key to unlocking the delay problems, as I say. The fact that they're being done in such short order in Baglan—why on earth can that not be done elsewhere? Because, again, you know, I just draw that distinction between seven—well, six days actually—and 80 days. If it can be done there, why on earth can't it be done anywhere else?

Of those who are discovered to have cancer at whatever stage, 85 per cent of them will get their primary cancer identified within that six days. That's amazing. Not all people presenting with vague systems, of course, end up having a diagnosis of cancer. At the moment, it's about 11 per cent in addition to the more obvious cases. But for every one of those people, it's an earlier diagnosis and a route to treatment—a faster route, I should say—than anywhere else in Wales.

I just want to finish—. Will you give me a little extra?