The Breast : official journal of the European Society of Mastology
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A 9-month audit, soon after the introduction of the 2-week rule in the UK in 1999, showed that a significant number of breast cancer patients were referred as non-urgent by their GPs, when the goal is that all suspected breast cancer patients should be seen by a hospital specialist urgently within 2 weeks of referral. The aim of this study was to determine whether GP grading of referrals into urgent and non-urgent had improved. ⋯ GP prioritisation of referrals has improved since 1999. With the use of proformas a significant number of patients with cancer were referred urgently.