Cancer referrals

Sometimes a general practitioner (GP) or dentist may ask for you to have an urgent hospital appointment within two weeks.

Depending on your symptoms this appointment may be to attend an outpatient clinic, a diagnostic test or a combination of the two.

The “two week” appointment system was introduced so that a specialist would see any patient with symptoms that might indicate cancer as quickly as possible.

There are national guidelines for your GP to use to make a decision about whether to refer you for an appointment within two weeks.

Does this mean I have cancer?

No it doesn’t.  The majority of patients referred under the “two week” appointment system do not have cancer but a simple, or benign, condition. 

There are national guidelines for your GP to use to make a decision about whether to refer you for an appointment within two weeks.