GPs are to refer suspected cancer patients for tests in a week under new scheme

Prime Minister Gordon Brown is expected to announce that by 2014 all patients with suspected cancer will undergo key diagnostic tests within one week.

A report in the Guardian newspaper said that up to 10 000 lives a year could be saved by the new initiative, which will see GPs being given the authority to directly refer patients to diagnostic services (www.guardian.co.uk, 26 Sep, “Gordon Brown to woo conference with cancer pledge and new NHS cash”).

Mr Brown’s speech was not released before he delivered it to the Labour party conference on Tuesday afternoon, as the BMJ went to press.

New imaging equipment is expected to be purchased, with funding coming from …