§ Earl Howeasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will consider providing incentives to health professionals to encourage them to check patients' skin for potentially cancerous lesions. [HL4010]
§ Lord WarnerEvery general practitioner has a duty to provide appropriate care to their patients, including where suitable, checking for potentially cancerous lesions.
It is possible that indicators on skin lesions could be included in a future review of the Quality and Outcomes Famework (QOF), which is part of the new General Medical Services contract that incentivises good practice by general practitioners. An independent review group will be established by the end of 2004 to make recommendations for changes to the QOF. Recommendations which are agreed can be implemented from April.
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§ Earl Howeasked Her Majesty's Government:
What guidance they will produce to encourage health professionals to take an opportunistic approach to checking patients' skin for potentially cancerous lesions. [HL4011]
§ Lord WarnerCancer Research UK has printed 40,000 posters designed to assist general practitioners and practice nurses in the identification of suspicious skin lesions, including actinic keratosis. The poster, which contains photographs and explanations of various lesions, has been distributed to all UK doctors' surgeries.
The Department of Health has also published referral guidelines for suspected cancer to assist general practitioners in determining those patients with suspected skin cancer who need to be referred urgently to see a specialist within two weeks, those patients that can be referred for a routine appointment and those who can be safely watched at a primary care level. The guidelines include a section on skin cancer.
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence is updating these guidelines and is currently consulting on the first draft of the revised guidance.
§ Lord Clement-Jonesasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will make additional funding available to primary care trusts for practising general practitioners and nurses to attend further training courses on the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancers and skin lesions. [HL4025]
§ Lord WarnerThe Government are increasing the level of investment in primary care services by £1.8 billion over the period April 2003 and March 2006 in support of the new primary care contracting arrangements. These new arrangements provide resources to primary care trusts for protected development time and give opportunities for general practitioners and nurses to take on more advanced and specialised roles, which may include the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancers and skin lesions.