Healix has partnered with cancer screening and diagnostic company, Check4Cancer, to enable workers to receive rapid diagnosis, and fast access to cancer treatment.
Employees of Healix’s member companies will for the first time be able to access three diagnostic pathways for breast, skin, and prostate cancer assessments, via their Healix claims portal, without the need for a GP referral.
Diagnostic appointments with a consultant can be accessed via the company’s UK-wide network of clinics.
Healthcare trust Healix is providing this service after research from the British Medical Association (BMA) found the percentage of patients told they have cancer within four weeks of an urgent referral remains low — at 73.5 per cent in April 2024. The number of patients receiving their first cancer treatment within two months (62-days) of an urgent referral stood at 66.6 per cent, well below the operational standard of 85 per cent.
Check4Cancer said it has seen a 50 per cent increase in demand in the last two years for people entering diagnostic pathways via their employers as waiting times soar.
Healix Health CEO Ian Talbot says: “Our partnership with Check4Cancer comes as access to cancer pathways via the NHS is becoming increasingly challenging.
“Employers have an important role to play in supporting people who have symptoms of cancer or are going through treatment. We know that receiving early diagnosis is essential in ensuring people have the best chance of a successful recovery.
“With Cancer Research UK finding that cancer cases will rise from 384,000 in 2023 to over 500,000 by 2040, it’s important that employers are stepping in to plug the gaps in the health service, providing fast access to diagnosis when symptoms first appear.”
Professor Gordon Wishart, founder and chief medical officer, at Check4Cancer adds: “It’s never been a more important time for employers to step in to support their workforce as NHS services struggle due to an increasing and ageing population.
“Giving employees access to fast diagnosis is essential in ensuring treatment begins as quickly as possible, leading to quick recovery, less absenteeism and more lives saved.”
