Closing the Care Gap: World Cancer Day 2024

What Can we do as Individuals to Prevent and Detect Cancer?

There are many “modifiable risk factors” for cancer. We can change our own behaviour and educate our loved ones, to help prevent cancer misdiagnosis. These factors include how much tobacco and alcohol we consume, what we eat, and how much exercise we do. You can read more about the actions you can take on the World Cancer Day website.

It’s also important to know your own body, and how to check for some of the signs and symptoms of cancer. We can increase the chances of recovery from some cancers by detecting signs early. Do you regularly check your breasts or testicles for changes or lumps? When was the last time you went for a prostate or cervical smear scan, if you’ve been invited to do so?

If you worked in the manufacturing industry, did you know some symptoms of cancer, such as Mesothelioma from asbestos, can take between 10-50 years to show?

The more we can protect ourselves and spread knowledge about cancer, the more we can prevent and/or diagnose it early.

Medical Negligence

We know more about cancer than ever before because of breakthroughs in medicine and diagnostics but we still have a way to go to improve our healthcare resources and the training and knowledge of our healthcare professionals.

Medical negligence still happens unfortunately, and our Solicitors see many individuals who have experienced a misdiagnosis or late diagnosis in cancer, with devastating consequences. Medical negligence happens when healthcare professionals fail to provide treatment of a reasonable standard to you. They might have made serious mistakes in diagnosing your cancer which results in the worsening of your condition and prognosis, for example, mistaking breast cancer on a scan for an inspissated cyst.

When this happens, our lawyers can help individuals and their loved ones claim for compensation. We want to help people’s lives to be as normal and fulfilling as possible after a late or missed diagnosis. We also want to ensure healthcare providers are adequately trained in spotting early signs of cancer and ensure correct treatment is commenced at the appropriate time.

Shortages of healthcare workers is a huge factor in causing the “Care Gap” in respect of cancer globally. This is also happening here in the UK. We can see the immense strain the NHS is under, due to understaffing and underfunding. Unfortunately, this means many people are receiving inadequate care and treatment for cancer.

Industrial Disease and Cancer in the Workplace

Our specialist Industrial Disease solicitors also help people who have cancer that was caused by their time in employment at a particular workplace. Again, knowledge about work-related cancer has improved immensely over time. Employers now have a duty of care to follow regulations to try preventing their employees being at increased risk of developing cancer, from exposure to chemicals.

Unfortunately negligence can still happen in the workplace, and we help people seek compensation from their employers every day. We also deal with many historic cases of negligence, for individuals who have developed cancer such as mesothelioma years later, even if the company has now shut down.

A study by The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in 2018 found that in the past, the asbestos related death count was exceeding 255,000 every year but as of 2021, it was down to 5,000. Though still worrisome, these kind of deaths which were prominent in the works trade in the 70s and 80s led to asbestos being banned in the UK in 1999. As of 1999, employers have a duty of care to cease all asbestos-related work immediately and have a specialist come and treat the area. You may have been exposed to carcinogens such as asbestos, formaldehyde or UV radiation which can cause different types of cancer, with symptoms developing slowly over time.

World Cancer Day 2024 – 5K Challenge

World Cancer Day this year falls on the 4^th of February. This year the World Cancer Day Charity are hosting a 5k challenge to raise awareness for this brilliant cause. They want you to complete a 5k loop, from running, cycling, walking, swimming or hiking.

Once you finish the challenge, you post how well you did on social media and nominate five friends to do the same to spread the word and raise awareness. Here at Simpson Millar, we will be doing our best to support this cause by getting on our running shoes, heading out into the great outdoors for this cause and we nominate you to do the same.

Raise as much awareness as you can, get active, and raise awareness of the gap with this challenge.

Use the tags #WorldCancerDay and #CloseTheCareGap – We can’t wait to see how you get on.

How our Lawyers can Help You

Millions of lives could be saved from cancer each year, by implementing strategies for prevention and adequate care in both the workplace and healthcare. Our Solicitors are passionate about this. Making a claim can be stressful and complex, but our friendly, experienced specialists are here for you every step of the way. Let us take the pressure from you.

Get in touch with our Medical Negligence solicitors, or our Industrial Disease team today. We can offer you a free claims assessment whether you want to claim for yourself or on behalf of a loved one, so call us on 0808 239 6043.