GPs receive new cancer training after death of young woman dismissed 20 times

Telegraph

22-02-2025

GPs will receive new training to better identify cancer in young people after the death of a 27-year-old woman whose symptoms were dismissed more than 20 times.
Jessica Brady died three weeks after being admitted to hospital in December 2020.
She discovered she had stage four adenocarcinoma (a cancer of the glands) after her desperate parents sought a private consultation.
The satellite engineer from Hertfordshire, who had been previously healthy, had contacted her GP surgery on more than 20 occasions in the previous five months.
Without carrying out any tests, doctors repeatedly sent her home with antibiotics until it was too late.
Andrea and Simon Brady, her parents, have begun a campaign for 'Jess's Law', which would obligate all GPs to review their diagnosis if a patient has had three consultations and no progress.
The Royal College of GPs – backed by the Jessica Brady Cedar Trust, which was set up by her family – will roll out training that encourages all family doctors to change their approach.
The module aims to raise awareness of a sharp rise in cancer cases among young people.
Diagnoses of the disease among those aged between 25 and 29 have risen by one quarter in the UK since the early 1990s, increasing twice the rate of those over the age of 50.
Brady's mother said she felt 'pride' in the difference her daughter had made to the lives of others and added that she would 'not give up' pursuing legal changes to the way GPs' respond to patients.
She told The Telegraph: 'I see this with really mixed emotions; both of sadness and of pride in what Jessie achieved. We don't want to be here, we don't feel celebratory, but we do feel that this is the right thing to do and we won't give up.'
The new guidance will urge GPs to introduce the concept of 'three strikes and rethink'.
This could mean referring a patient for a second opinion or seeking advice from a specialist. It could also include ensuring that a person seen remotely is given a face-to-face appointment.
Mrs Brady said: 'Really this is about a fresh pair of eyes – about going back to the drawing board. We have found that it's quite hard for GPs once they have made an initial diagnosis to deviate from it.
'We feel really strongly that having Jess's name attached to all this reminds everyone that this was a real person, this can happen, and encourages them to think again.'
Prof Kamila Hawthorne, the chairman of the Royal College of GPs, said: 'Jessica Brady's death was a tragedy and our thoughts are with the Brady family. No GP will ever want to miss signs of serious illness such as cancer.
'A key part of our role is to make a diagnosis for a patient based on the information we have available to us, which will include their symptoms, family and medication history and risk factors – and then either devise a treatment plan with the patient or refer to specialist care for further investigations and treatment. This is something all GPs take very seriously.
'Ensuring a timely diagnosis is in everyone's best interests as this often means better outcomes for patients.
Conditions 'difficult to identify'
'Unfortunately, many conditions – including many cancers – are notoriously difficult to identify in primary care because the symptoms are often similar to other, less serious and more common conditions. Alternative diagnoses are often more likely, particularly when considering risk factors such as age.'
Prof Hawthorne added: 'This is why it's been important for us to work with Jessica's family and the Cedar Trust to highlight that, for reasons that are unclear but are likely multi-factorial, we are seeing more cases of cancers in younger adults.'
She said the free training explores the risk factors to look out for, and provides guidance and interventions to consider when diagnosing younger patients with uncertain symptoms.
'If a patient repeatedly presents with the same or similar symptoms but the treatment plan does not seem to be making them better, it is best practice to review the diagnosis and consider alternatives,' she continued.
'It also makes clear that when a diagnosis is uncertain, seeking a second opinion could be an appropriate consideration.'
Experts have said there is no clear explanation as to why there has been such a surge in cancers among younger people.
Some of the increase could be fuelled by preventable risk factors such as diet and improvements in detection.
The surge comes amid debate about the role of processed foods in contributing to a rise in bowel cancer.
Sophia Lowes, a senior health information manager at Cancer Research UK, said: 'Globally and in the UK, we're seeing an increase in rates of early-onset cancers, affecting people aged 25-49.
'Whilst this is concerning, it's important to recognise that cancer is still primarily a disease of older age – though this doesn't change how difficult it is for anyone who receives a diagnosis.
'There isn't a clear answer to what's causing this rise but preventable risk factors, genetics and improvements to early detection might all play a part.
She continued: 'It's important that GPs have the right support to give patients of all ages the level of care they deserve and efforts to increase training and education like the new RCGP module can help to provide this.
'Whatever your age, if you notice something that isn't normal for you, speak to your doctor. If your symptoms don't get better or get worse, your doctor will want to hear from you again.'