GPs’ advice service is causing cancer diagnoses to be missed, inquiry finds
Summary
A system that lets general doctors ask specialists for advice before sending patients to hospital has caused delays and missed cancer diagnoses in England. An official investigation found that while the system can help, problems in how it is used have led to harm for some patients.Key Facts
- The advice and guidance (A+G) system was created to reduce unnecessary hospital visits and waiting times.
- The Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) looked into how A+G is working across England.
- The system has improved communication between family doctors and specialists but also caused delays and missed cancer cases when used incorrectly.
- Some local rules forced doctors to use A+G instead of sending patients directly to hospital.
- Referrals were sometimes rejected even when doctors had serious concerns.
- A survey of 712 doctors showed about 25% of referrals were rejected and returned as A+G.
- Doctors also reported that 36% of A+G requests required work outside their usual responsibilities.
- The HSSIB recommended a quick review of the system to fix problems and improve patient safety.
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