Prevention and diagnosis resources for healthcare professionals

Rapid referral guidelines

Our Rapid Referral Guidelines are designed to help you identify children, young people and adults with symptoms of suspected cancer. They can help you decide if a referral is:

  • non-urgent – requires routine referral or tests
  • urgent – required within two weeks
  • very urgent – required within 48 hours.

The guidelines are endorsed by NICE and summarise the (NG12) guidelines for suspected cancer. They suggest what to look for in primary care, with referral recommendations and safety netting advice.

The NHS has specific Referral guidelines for Scotland.


Access the guidelines

Learning Event Analysis toolkit

The Learning Event Analysis (LEA) toolkit, is an update to the Significant Event Analysis (SEA) Toolkit, which was developed in collaboration with the RCGP. It supports GPs to reflect on cancer diagnoses and identify improvements to:

  • practice systems
  • hospital systems
  • cancer referral pathways
  • proactive safety-netting.

We provide you with templates, fictional examples of cancer SEAs and guidance to support you with completing LEAs and improving early diagnosis. 

Access the toolkit

Quality improvement resources for primary care

We have developed modules to support primary care teams to improve the quality of care they provide to people with cancer. The modules will also enable practices and primary care networks to deliver the requirements of the Primary Care Network Specifications and QoF Quality Improvement Projects (in England).

Early diagnosis and cancer screening modules

The early diagnosis and screening modules will help you:

  • identify patients at risk of cancer
  • increase uptake of cancer screening
  • improve referral practice.

Download our modules for early diagnosis and cancer screening.

We have also created a mini-series of short videos, featuring CRUK GPs and Macmillan GPs sharing their tips and advice for delivery of the PCN DES specification for early cancer diagnosis. Visit our page: Understanding the early cancer diagnosis PCN DES.

Cancer Care Review guidance

A Cancer Care Review (CCR) is a conversation between a patient and their GP or Practice Nurse about their cancer journey. A CCR can help patients to:

  • talk about their cancer experience and concerns
  • understand what support is available in their community
  • receive the information they need to begin supported self-management.

We have developed resources and electronic templates to help you to support your patients.


Access guidance and resources

Electronic safety netting toolkit

The North Central London Cancer Alliance (formerly UCLH Cancer Collaborative) has developed an electronic toolkit to support GPs with safety netting in cancer-related clinical situations. The toolkit will support GPs to:

  • schedule diary reminders in their system
  • receive alerts to follow up with patients at a later date
  • share important information with patients.

The toolkit can be accessed nationally by any GP practice using EMIS Web.

Access the toolkit and resources

10 top tips for primary care

We've created our 10 top tips series to help primary care professionals support patients at every stage of the cancer pathway. The tips are designed to showcase best practice and offer practical advice for your role.

We have tips for the prevention and diagnosis of cancer, which include:

View all top tips

Cancer and Domestic Abuse: a toolkit for professionals

This toolkit is designed to help healthcare professionals working with people affected by cancer. It can help you to identify and respond to signs of domestic abuse affecting patients and carers.

Domestic abuse causes long-lasting physical and mental health harm. It can impact cancer care, treatment, and recovery. Working in cancer, you have a unique window of opportunity to intervene and make a difference.


Download the toolkit


Watch a recording of the toolkit launch, where you will hear from Macmillan CEO Gemma Peters, two lived experience voices and partnership leads from Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse, the University of Bristol, and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust.

For any questions or feedback on the project, please contact canceranddomesticabuse@macmillan.org.uk.

Cancer Decision Support (CDS) tool

The Cancer Decision Support (CDS) tool helps GPs with clinical decision making. It encourages GPs to 'think cancer' and shows the risk of patients having an undiagnosed cancer.

The tool calculates the risk of cancer based on coded information in the patient's file, including:

  • symptoms
  • medical history
  • demographic data.

How to access the CDS tool

You can access the tool from these GP IT providers:

  • EMIS Web
  • INPS Vision
  • TPP SystmOne (coming soon).

We have created a series of videos about the CDS tool.

Innovation in cancer care resources

We invest in programmes and services to help professionals adopt new and innovative ways to deliver cancer care in the UK. Working in communities and with the NHS, we fund pilots to improve experiences and outcomes for people with cancer. With this knowledge, we have created tools and resources to help you deliver:

Find out more about our work

Clinical updates for healthcare professionals

Stay up to date with the latest developments in cancer care, with expert news, opinion and analysis. You'll also find blogs about our professionals and the fantastic work they do.

Read our latest blogs for healthcare professionals.

Read the Macmillan Northern Ireland Prehab Programme Evaluation interim evaluation

Subscribe to our newsletters

We publish a range of newsletters for professionals who support people living with cancer. Whatever your role, we'll support you with clinical updates, tools and resources.

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Research and evidence

We're at the forefront of understanding the needs and experiences of people living with cancer. Get the evidence and insight you need to develop or deliver best practice in cancer care, delivered by our team of experts. 


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Wellbeing support for health professionals

We understand it's a challenging time for healthcare professionals with increasing pressure on staff and services. That's why we're doing whatever it takes to support you with the latest information, training and resources.

You can also access our emotional health and well-being hub resources we created during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.