This area provides information and resources for primary care professionals and Primary Care Networks (PCNs) to support the early identification and referral of patients with suspected cancer along with support around screening.

Much of what is described is useful for every day practice but will also help more specifically for the contractual requirements of QOF and the PCN DES.

If you have a suggestion for a resource or a subject matter to include, please contact us at ccf-tr.admin.cmca@nhs.net

For information about the Targeted Lung Health Check programme in Cheshire and Merseyside, click here to access this section.

Webinars were held May 2022 describing the requirements of the PCN DES 22/23. A recording of the presentation can be accessed under the webinar tab below.

The following presentation describes all of the requirements for both QOF and PCN DES 22/23 and some ideas as to how these might be achieved.

Access and download the presentation (available soon), which you can then watch and hear narration from CMCA Primary Care Lead, Dr Debbie Harvey.

Network Direct Enhanced Service (DES) Specification 2022/23

This year’s PCN DES for the early diagnosis of cancer reflects many of the ambitions of the DES for 21/22. Where possible and appropriate PCN can build on the work undertaken previously.

There are five service requirements which briefly comprise of:

  1. Referral practice
  2. Supporting cervical and bowel screening
  3. Adopting and embedding FIT requests for 2ww colorectal referrals ( directly incentivised through Investment & Impact Funding) & using teledermatology where commissioned
  4. Increasing referrals for suspected prostate cancer where local data supports the need
  5. Increasing referrals to non-specific pathways (where these are available)

The Alliance produces regular bulletins with information for Primary Care Networks, GPs and other primary care professionals.

Please see them below:

To sign up to receive the bulletins, please email: ccf-tr.admin.cmca@nhs.net

October 2021

A webinar for Primary Care professionals was held to showcase the work of the Cancer Alliance, with contributions across a number of work areas.

You can see the slides here.

You can see a recording of the webinar below.

May 2022

A webinar for Primary Care professionals explaining the updates to early cancer diagnosis in the 2022/23 PCN DES.

You can see the slides here.

You can see a recording of the webinar below.

November 2022

A webinar for Primary Care professionals explaining the resources available on the CMCA website and on The Cancer Academy platform relating to early diagnosis.

You can see the slides here.

You can see a recording of the webinar below:

Resources to support the PCN DES