Covid-19 update

16 April 2020: University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) is leading one of three cancer hubs working across London during the Covid-19 outbreak to provide cancer surgery for patients with the most immediate needs.

• Patients will continue to have appointments with their usual cancer team but arrangements for where they have surgery will change.
• Working in collaboration with cancer consultants from hospitals in North Central London (NCL), North East London and the local Cancer Alliances, UCLH has established a system of weekly prioritisation meetings to allow those local patients most in need to get the care they require.
• The cancer hub for North Central and North East London is using sites at UCLH at Westmoreland Street Hospital, and independent-sector facilities at Princess Grace Hospital and Wellington Hospital.

Summary guidance and update for suspected cancer referrals by GPs

Any changes being made to the suspected cancer referrals process during the Covid-19 outbreak are detailed in the following NCL specific updates, each contains unique information.

22 May 2020: Latest NCL Cancer Commissioning Covid-19 update

15 May 2020: Additional NCL summary guidance and update for GPs on suspected cancer referrals (update 4)

23 April 2020: Additional NCL summary guidance and update for GPs on suspected cancer referrals (update 3)

6 April 2020: Additional NCL summary guidance and update for GPs on suspected cancer referrals (update 2)

2 April 2020: A letter to GPs from the North Central London (NCL) Cancer Alliance and NCL sustainability and transformation partnership (STP) details the NCL approach to cancer referrals, including current cancer-service statuses that affect how GPs manage patients with suspected cancer, during the Covid-19 outbreak. (update 1)

Please remember GPs can refer direct to hospitals for urgent diagnostics and consider this instead of 2WW. For a full breakdown of where and how to refer, read this guide. 

The Multidisciplinary Diagnostic Centre (GI cancer) is going well. Please continue to refer.

See the latest NCL GP and Primary Care Cancer Newsletter (January 2020) 

GP one-to-one practice support: cancer research faciliator

Cancer Research UK is able to visit practices individually as and when needed to share the latest local cancer data, provide training and tools on key topics such as cancer screening. Islington’s facilitator Christine Harding is able discuss new NICE guidance with valuable resources, support the completion of SEAs and audits. GPs will be able to review surgery safety netting processes and best practice.

Please contact Christine for further information and/or to set up a visit:

e:Christine.Harding@cancer.org.uk

Cancer education 

View the Cancer Education page for learning resources and referral guides.