Ethnic minorities in England ‘need more GP visits’ before cancer diagnosis

The analysis also found that people from the most deprived areas in England were 21% less likely to be referred for urgent suspected cancer than those from more affluent areas. Photograph: laflor/Getty Images

Ethnic minorities and young people require more visits than other people to the GP before being diagnosed with cancer, according to new analysis.

On average, one in five people across England require three or more GP interactions before being diagnosed with cancer. But for people from ethnic minority backgrounds, the figure rises to one in three, according to analysis of the NHS cancer patient experience 2022 survey by QualityWatch, a joint programme from the Nuffield Trust and the Health Foundation.