Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) are being urged to consider taking part in the Macmillan Cancer Relief and Department of Health genetics pilot project.

Macmillan and the DH are seeking two PCTs to take part in the project, piloting a cancer genetics risk assessment and counselling service, launched earlier this year alongside the existing four pilots. The project has been established to improve the way families with a history of cancer are cared for, and the programme will run until March 2007.

PCTs considering taking part will need to prepare project proposals which demonstrate ways to develop and evaluate improvements in accessibility, quality and effectiveness in cancer genetics services in the primary care setting and beyond. Funding of between 200,000 and 250,000 is available to each of the two successful bidders and initial expressions of interest need to be submitted, via the PCT Primary Care Cancer Lead Clinician, by 12 July.

The pilot projects follow on from a key aim of the Government White Paper \"Our inheritance, our future - realising the potential of genetics in the NHS\" to ensure NHS patients benefit from the most up-to-date genetic knowledge and technologies.

In each area GPs, local cancer experts and specialised genetic cancer services will work together to ensure patients who are concerned about their family history of cancer are properly assessed and receive future care which is appropriate to their level of risk.

Dame Gill Oliver, Director of Service Development, Macmillan Cancer Relief, said: \"At present cancer genetics services are patchy. There are some good examples where cancer specialists work closely with geneticists, hospital doctors and GPs to decide on the most effective way to identify and care for people at different risk of developing cancers.

\"However, not all primary care teams have access to this information so not all patients are able to benefit from this good practice. Our pilots aim to ensure all cancer genetics services use the same good practice models.\"

Anyone interested in finding out more about the pilots should contact Sharon Lomas, Genetics Pilots Project Manager, Macmillan Cancer Relief, on slomas@macmillan.org.uk.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Macmillan Cancer Relief helps people who are living with cancer. Each and day 747 people in the UK are told they have cancer. There are now over a million people living with cancer, and four in ten will receive a cancer diagnosis during their lifetime.

For cancer information and support, contact the Macmillan CancerLine

(Monday ? Friday, 9.00am ? 6.00pm) by freephone: 0808 808 2020,
textphone: 0808 808 0121 or email: cancerline@macmillan.org.uk; or log on to
http://www.macmillan.org.uk.

Inherited genes cause between five and 10 per cent of cancers and testing for these genes can identify whether someone with a strong family history the disease is likely to develop it.

The existing four pilot projects are being carried out by:

-- South West London Cancer Network and joint cancer centres

-- Yorkshire Regional Genetics Service

-- North Kirklees PCT and Bradford Hospitals NHS Trust, Cancer Care Alliance (South Durham, Teeside and North Yorkshire)

-- South East London Cancer Network, Lambeth and Southwark PCT, specialist cancer services at Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital and Guy’s Regional Genetics Centre.

For further information, please contact:
Julia Anderson, Macmillan Cancer Relief Press Office, 020 7840 7803,
janderson@macmillan.org.uk, Out of hours 07801 307 068

- - - Julia Anderson
Press Officer
Macmillan Cancer Relief
89 Albert Embankment
London, SE1 7UQ
Tel: 020 7840 7803
Fax: 020 7840 4886
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Find out how you can join in at:
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