The Be Clear on Cancer ‘Blood in Pee’ campaign from Public Health England is back and I will be lending my support, says Alistair Murray, clinical lead, Green Light Pharmacy

Despite improved levels of awareness of the key symptoms of bladder and kidney cancer (specifically, blood in urine), both cancers still account for 17,450 diagnoses and 7,600 deaths in England each year.

Late diagnosis is thought to be one of the contributing factors behind the poor survival outcomes for cancer in England. This variation exists not only between countries such as England and Sweden, but also from town to town in England.

Pharmacists may not be the ones diagnosing the cancer, but we still have a crucial role to play in improving early diagnosis. Our customers often talk to us about things they wouldn’t want to bother the GP with. By listening out for the cues and observing our customers, we can make a dramatic difference to a patient’s outcome.

A prompt from the pharmacist, validation that they should book a GP appointment and even making the call ourselves when things are very concerning – that is the incredibly important role we as pharmacy teams play. Asking “How are things generally?” can open up all sorts of conversations. By listening, understanding and reflecting back in ways patients are comfortable with, we can help them clarify and prioritise what to share with a GP.

Be Clear on Cancer pharmacy bags enable staff to broach the subject without making people feel targeted, while still conveying the message that if they do happen to spot blood in their pee, they should visit their GP.

Causes of concern

A patient may be coming back repeatedly with a single issue, such as a UTI. In the new NICE guidance for GPs, a recurrent UTI in people over the age of 60 years can warrant a referral, so we should feel confident in suggesting they visit their doctor again if symptoms persist.

It is important to think wider than the obvious OTC medicines. Are customers looking at complementary remedies for urinary problems? Are women looking for products to help them with gynaecological conditions that may need further investigation?

Additionally, someone experiencing pain while peeing, or pain in their side below the ribs that doesn’t go away, or needing to pee very often, should prompt further discussion.

Provide reassurance

We can provide reassurance that blood in pee is not always a symptom of cancer, but stress that it is vital to go and see a GP, because the earlier it is detected the more treatment options will be available. Research tells us that our prompt can be the ‘permission’ a patient is desperately looking for to take that all-important step to get further help.

Large-scale national activity, such as the ‘Blood in Pee’ campaign, bring major health issues to front of mind, not just for patients but also for pharmacy staff. We use moments in the calendar such as this to refresh skills and knowledge on relevant subjects. In doing so, the campaign messages become fully ingrained and the lessons they teach start to become standard practice, which have the potential to save many lives further down the line.

For free display materials such as posters and leaflets, order via the PHE Campaign Resource Centre or the PHE pharmacy order line: 0300 123 1019. The campaign runs until March 31.

Our prompt can be the ‘permission’ a patient is desperately looking for