AQW 22726/22-27
Ms Connie Egan
Alliance Party
North Down
Tabled Date: 17/02/2025
Answered On Date: 04/03/2025
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail any steps his Department has taken to ensure appropriate training and support is in place to aid GPs in the timely diagnosis of ovarian cancer.
Answer:
As independent contractors, and in order to provide the services that they are contracting for, GPs will be required to meet the required training and competency standards. All doctors wishing to become GPs undertake training covering a wide range of conditions including recognising ovarian cancer. GPs are ultimately responsible for ensuring that they maintain their own continuous professional development (CPD) in order to keep their knowledge, skills and training up to date. This includes participation in annual appraisal and in Revalidation, the requirements of which are set by the General Medical Council (GMC). Every licensed doctor must revalidate to show that they are fit to practise and to maintain their licence to work in the UK. NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) produce recommendations to help practitioners and commissioners get the best care to people fast, while ensuring value for money. NICE guidelines are shared with GPs once they have been approved for application within Northern Ireland. NICE have guidelines for the recognition and early management of ovarian cancer. The Northern Ireland Cancer Network (NICaN) is a strategic clinical network that brings together those who use, provide and commission services to make improvements in patient pathways using an integrated, whole system approach. They provide GP Referral Guidance for Suspected Cancer which includes sections on suspected gynaecological cancers and suspected ovarian cancer. My Department have a number of initiatives which are designed to ensure that GPs and Practices can access training readily and at a time that is convenient. GPNI was established during the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure effective communication was maintained, with all those working within GP Primary Care. This service is commissioned from the Eastern GP Federation Support Unit and allocation for this service for 2024/25 is £50.5k. The GPNI website and webinars are now widely accepted as a key regional communications platform designed to improve dissemination of, and access to, information for Primary Care practitioners. GPNI webinars have included a range of cancer related topics including ovarian cancer Practice Based Learning (PBL) is a programme of learning sessions for GP’s and the wider General Practice staff. The aim of these PBL is to allow dedicated time to be set aside for educational sessions to contribute to the continued professional development of GP’s and their Practice Staff. Provision of PBL was previously developed by the then HSCB for all GP Practices, however from March 2020 SPPG commission the provision of PBL from the Federations for their member Practices. PBL is facilitated by local GP Federation Support Units and £178k has been allocated for PBL for the 24/25 year. They have provided a cost-effective programme of ongoing learning for their GPs, nurses and wider Practice staff.
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