News

Redbridge GP leads national awareness campaign

#primarycare month is an NHS England (London) campaign to promote and publicise the many exceptional things going on in primary care across the capital.

Primary care is an absolute priority for the NHS, and especially for London. Working with the Healthy London Partnership, strategic clinical networks and other key groups throughout March, we aim to shed some light on the people and services that make up primary care in a modern NHS. This includes visiting GP practices, meeting with MPs to discuss local issues and highlighting areas of transformation that will improve the standard of care Londoners receive.

Here’s a story about Dr Jyoti Sood, a GP from Redbridge, who is the face of a new national campaign to raise awareness of the symptoms of cancer.

Dr Jyoti Sood is a GP at Newbury Group Practice in Ilford and a clinical director for Redbridge Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). He has been chosen by NHS England to be one of the faces of the Be Clear on Cancer Campaign.

The campaign focuses on specific cancers and their early warning signs. Dr Sood is specifically promoting awareness of kidney cancer and has a very personal reason for getting involved.

She said: “If you see blood in your urine chances are that it’s nothing serious, however it can also be a sign of bladder or kidney cancer. I would therefore urge patients to see their GP as soon as possible, who should be able to take a history and either investigate, refer or reassure you.

“When my grandfather experienced this symptom he just thought it was something he’d eaten and he didn’t talk to his GP. So by the time he was diagnosed his kidney cancer was very advanced, and he died only a few weeks later.

“I hope that by doing this campaign I can prevent another family from experiencing what mine did. If you or someone you love experiences anything out of the ordinary, it is always better to get it checked out – it could be a lifesaving decision.”

The earlier cancer is diagnosed, the higher your chance of making a full recovery, so Dr Sood advises that you should make an appointment to see your GP without delay if you notice any of the following symptoms, even if it is just once:

  • blood in your pee
  • heartburn for three weeks or more
  • a cough that lasts three weeks or more
  • changes to a mole or freckle
  • changes to your breasts if you’re over 70
  • feeling bloated for three weeks or more.

For more information about common cancers and the symptoms to look out for, visit the Be Clear on Cancer website.