Early Diagnosis and Primary Care

This section of the GM Cancer website provides information on the progress of work in relation to primary care and early diagnosis.

The NHS Long Term Plan ambitions for cancer are:

• By 2028, 55,000 more people each year will survive their cancer for five years
• 75% of people with cancer will be diagnosed at an early stage (stage 1 or 2)

Earlier and faster diagnosis of cancer is dependent on people understanding and being aware of the early signs and symptoms of cancer, by taking up screening programmes or visiting a healthcare professional and the healthcare professionals being aware of / having the tools to hand to ensure a timely referral.

A programme of work has been established on behalf of GM Cancer Alliance and the GM system to support the delivery of the NHS Long Term Plan ambition to diagnose 75% of cancers at stage 1 or 2 by 2028.

Early Diagnosis Steering Group

The Early Diagnosis Steering Group was established in March 2021.

The purpose of this steering group is to identify and employ a range of interventions to support early diagnosis and optimise the proportion of patients identified through screening and managed pathways across primary and secondary care whilst reducing the number of patients diagnosed as an emergency.

The Early Diagnosis Steering Group will report to and be held to account by the Greater Manchester Cancer Board.

Key people