The campaign is to raise public awareness of the symptoms of lung cancer and encourage people with persistent symptoms to go to see their GP. It will target people over the age of 55 years. The national campaign will be running from 8 May to 30 June.
The campaign follows the positive results of the pilot in the Midlands in October last year. This showed improved awareness in the symptoms of lung cancer and increased confidence in recognising the symptoms. There was a 23 per cent increase in attendance to primary care. Based on a sample of trusts, there was an increase in referrals for chest x rays and chest CT scans compared with the same period in the previous year. The campaign was agreed to be important with support from 94 per cent of the public and 87 per cent of GPs surveyed.
The national campaign will feature on national TV, press and radio and promoted through a wider range of channels. Modelling work to assess the national impact suggests that the additional activity in secondary care should be manageable.
The Department is organising a series of meetings at the end of the month and will be providing more information about the results of the pilot and the anticipated impact on secondary care. For more information contact Jennifer Benjamin in the cancer team: jennifer.benjamin@dh.gsi.gov.uk.
Read the letter sent to Chief Executives, NHS trusts, NHS foundation trusts and primary care trusts on the National campaign to promote awareness and earlier diagnosis of lung cancer by Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS Medical Director.