Guidelines and referral pathways in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer(PDF, 386 KB) (NICaN) do not include recommendations for non-specific symptoms.However, there are non-specific symptoms both individually and in combination with other symptoms that warrant site-specific urgent referrals.

Rapid Diagnostic Centres (RDC)

Northern Ireland have established Rapid Diagnostic Centres in the Northern and Southern Health and Social Care Trusts, which are available to patients across the region. Northern Health & Social Care Trust referral criteria includes:

• Unintentional weight loss

• Extreme fatigue

• Persistent nausea / appetite loss

• New atypical pain e.g. abdominal/bone pain

• Unexplained lab findings e.g. anaemia, hypercalcemia, thrombocytosis

• GP ‘gut feeling’ of serious illness likely to be due to cancer

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Tips for managing patients with non-specific symptoms

Specific resources for England

Specific resources for Scotland

Specific resources for Wales