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Editorial
Unmasking delays: bridging the gap in timely lung cancer diagnosis for UK primary care
  1. Katherine Hickman
  1. The Primary Care Respiratory Society UK, London, UK
  1. Correspondence to Dr Katherine Hickman, The Primary Care Respiratory Society UK, London, N13 4BS, UK; KatherineA.Hickman{at}bradford.nhs.uk

https://doi.org/10.1136/thorax-2023-220739

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    There is little room for debate regarding the fact that primary care in the UK is currently confronting one of its most substantial challenges to date. Access remains a constant problem, with lengthy wait times preventing timely care.1 The stretched workforce is contending with increasing patient demands which ultimately jeopardises the delivery of quality care. This burden is taking its toll, leading to fatigue and burnout.2 In short, life as a general practitioner (GP) in the UK is not easy, the pressures are real and ultimately, patients will suffer.

    Patients presenting with symptoms of potential lung cancer is just one tiny part of what GPs see daily but remains a considerable challenge. No GP would dispute that any suspected cancer diagnosis demands early detection and timely intervention for improved patient outcomes. In their recent study, Koo et al 3 sadly shed light on the delay in primary care-ordered chest imaging for patients presenting with symptoms of potential lung cancer.

    The findings reveal a …

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    Footnotes

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests KH received funding from OPC (https://www.optimumpatientcare.org/) not-for profit, social enterprise.

    • Provenance and peer review Commissioned; internally peer reviewed.

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