A BLACKBURN GP says patients should not panic after claims from cancer charity Macmillan that a lack of post-diagnosis support is putting unsustainable pressure on A&E departments.

The charity’s report Cancer Cash Crisis says the NHS in England spends more than £500 million a year on emergency care for people diagnosed with the four most common cancers.

It wants the government to fully fund and implement the cancer strategy, warning that choosing to do nothing will only increase costs in years to come.

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Dr Paul Fourie, GP at Witton Medical Centre in Blackburn, said that in East Lancashire, GPs and hospitals already have a good record of working together to help cancer patients.

He said: “There is a huge drive for GPs to try to get early diagnosis — a two-week referral pathway and East Lancashire is one of the leading health economies of the UK. In this area there is all sorts of joint working between GPs and hospitals to make this cancer diagnosis pathway better and quicker.

“Nationally, people may find it difficult to access special support and people tend to turn back to A&E rather than call their own GP. Investment in supporting cancer patients would help. I do not want to be causing a panic. There is a need to improve the services but we are very lucky in East Lancashire to have a wonderful hospice service.”

Helen Collinge, Macmillan Pennine Lancashire cancer improvement partnership project facilitator at NHS East Lancashire and NHS Blackburn with Darwen clinical commissioning groups, said: “Last year, a local partnership comprising of the CCGs, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, Lancashire County Council and Macmillan Cancer Support invested £1 million into a three-year programme to provide better care and support for cancer patients from the moment of diagnosis to beyond treatment.

“All newly diagnosed cancer patients are offered a holistic needs assessment soon after diagnosis, at key points in their cancer journey and if and when their needs change. GPs and practice nurses have been trained to undertake cancer care reviews. Patients are invited into the practice, six months after diagnosis, where they can have an informal discussion about their support needs.”