Related Articles 1

Related Articles 2

Breakthrough Breast Cancer

Breakthrough Breast Cancer advocates from across Leeds met with John Battle MP last week to campaign for the Government to keep its promise that by 1st January 2010 all women with possible breast cancer symptoms see a specialist within two weeks.

Currently only women referred by their GP as urgent are guaranteed to see a specialist within two weeks. However many women are referred as non-urgent - or routine – and as a result can face an anxious wait of many weeks to find out whether they have breast cancer or not. Studies have also shown that a significant number of women originally referred as routine are eventually diagnosed with breast cancer, demonstrating the importance of a two week wait for all.

Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has committed that all women referred by their GP will not have longer than a two week wait. However, many NHS Trusts are currently not achieving this standard.

Mr Battle has committed to writing to the NHS Trust in Leeds to enquire about their waiting times.

He says, “I will continue to keep up the pressure to ensure that this ambitious target is met and that all women with breast cancer symptoms receives the highest care possible”.

 ©John Battle MP 27 October 2009