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Free NHS earlier cancer diagnosis resource to rollout across NHS Scotland

Published: 30th April 2024
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GPs and primary care professionals across Scotland are to benefit from an NHS initiative, GatewayC, a free earlier cancer diagnosis resource, that will rollout across NHS Scotland today. 

Earlier diagnosis has a crucial role to play in improving cancer outcomes across Scotland. To support this, the Scottish Government’s Detect Cancer Earlier (DCE) Programme, in partnership with NHS Education for Scotland (NES), have commissioned the rollout of GatewayC across Scotland, following a successful launch across NHS England and Wales. 

GatewayC is a free online education resource that supports clinical decision-making, earlier detection of cancer and improved management, care and support for people affected by cancer. The resource is evidence-based and available to any member of the primary care clinical team. 

Designed by the NHS, for the NHS, the resource offers access to a wide variety of online cancer education. This includes interactive courses, webinars, podcasts, documentary-style videos, emerging news, and more. 

GatewayC can be repeatedly accessed, paused, and resumed once primary care professionals have completed a simple registration process.

The resource is available to all primary care contractors across Scotland. There are over 40+ CPD hours available. To get started, register here.

Professor Sir Gregor Smith, Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, said: “Cancer remains the largest burden of disease across Scotland. The Cancer Strategy for Scotland 2023 – 2033 reflects on Cancer Research UK evidence, that the cancer incidence is expected to increase, with the number of cases projected to rise by nearly one fifth by 2040. GatewayC has been designed to support primary care clinicians facilitate earlier and faster cancer diagnosis. Now, more than ever, earlier diagnosis has a crucial role to play in improving cancer outcomes across Scotland.”

Neil Gray, Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care, said: “GatewayC has been clinically reviewed to ensure that it is relevant and specific to NHS Scotland. It supports clinical decision-making, earlier detection of cancer and improved management, care and support for people affected by cancer. The resource is evidence-based and available to any member of the primary care clinical team. I encourage all primary care clinicians across NHS Scotland to utilise this free resource.”

Dr Douglas Rigg, Co-Chair of the Scottish Primary Care Cancer Group, said: “Earlier diagnosis has a crucial role to play in improving cancer outcomes across Scotland. GatewayC is a free resource that incorporates the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer in an interactive format to reinforce clinical decision making, across a range of cancer courses, podcasts, webinars, and more. I would encourage all primary care professionals across Scotland to access GatewayC to support the earlier and faster detection of cancer.”

Alice Bowden, GatewayC Programme Lead, said: “GatewayC is now freely available across Scotland following a successful rollout across NHS England and Wales. We are proud to be playing a key role in supporting primary care clinicians to detect cancer earlier, supporting NHS England’s Long-Term Plan for Cancer. Our content is created by the NHS, for the NHS.” 

Primary care professionals will be able to access the resource by visiting the GatewayC website www.gatewayc.org.uk 

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