Scottish Referral Guidelines (SRGs) for Suspected Cancer
Key updates from the most recent clinical review of the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer are now incorporated into GatewayC – the leading earlier cancer diagnosis resource.
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Watch GatewayC's videos for a condensed overview of the key guideline changes.
Supported by the Scottish Government’s Detect Cancer Earlier (DCE) Programme, in partnership with NHS Education for Scotland (NES), GatewayC is supporting the adoption of SRGs, to help improve cancer outcomes.
Diagnosing cancer earlier and faster is a priority ambition in Scotland’s Cancer Strategy, aiming to reduce later stage disease (3 and 4) by 18%. A whole-systems approach is required to achieve this, with a focus on primary care to support and enhance urgent suspicion of cancer (USC) referral practice.
Lorna Porteous, GP lead for Cancer and Palliative Care in NHS Lothian and joint Clinical Lead for the Scottish Primary Care Group, said: “This full clinical review has been a collaborative effort involving clinicians throughout Scotland and supported with evidence from Cancer Research UK and Healthcare Improvement Scotland. To succinctly summarise this guidance, I have worked with GatewayC to develop and host 14 short videos to further support clinicians. The videos cover key changes to the guidelines, including referral advice and good practice, to support clinicians to identify the signs and symptoms that might be due to cancer and for those receiving the referrals to help them identify those patients that are most likely to have cancer.”
Diane Primrose, Head of Programmes in the Centre for Sustainable Delivery’s (CfSD) Cancer Improvement & Earlier Diagnosis Team, said: “Cancer incidence rates are continuing to increase in Scotland, so it’s never been more important to be aware of possible signs. GatewayC has a vital role to play in supporting clinicians in this quest, to detect cancer earlier and faster, when the chance of survival and cure is higher. Our Detect Cancer Earlier (DCE) Programme remains committed to expanding the reach of GatewayC across NHS Scotland to deliver short, bite-sized education sessions, designed for time-pressured GPs and primary care clinicians. Supporting primary care to identify and appropriately refer those with an urgent suspicion of cancer is key to achieving Scotland’s ambitious earlier diagnosis vision.”
This page was last updated on: 18/09/2025
Posted: 18/09/2025
