Views of general practitioners and head and neck surgeons on the referral system for suspected cancer: a survey

Abstract

AbstractBackground:The two-week wait referral system for suspected cancer was introduced in the National Health Service in 2000. This study aimed to identify areas for improvement to the two-week wait system by seeking the opinions of doctors working in primary and secondary care.Method:A questionnaire was distributed to general practitioners and head and neck surgeons within North West England with ethical consent.Results:Twenty-seven general practitioners and 15 head and neck surgeons responded. Of the general practitioners, 59.3 per cent declared that they never attend training on referrals in this specialty. Overall, 59.3 per cent of general practitioners and 86.7 per cent of head and neck surgeons felt that the two-week wait system could be improved.Conclusion:The main areas for further work are development of pre-referral communication between primary and secondary care along with development of practical educational measures for general practitioners.