Rapid referral guidelines for suspected cancer
                        
                            
                            Guides
                        
                        
                                
                    
                    
                    
                                    
                                        Published: 
                                    
                                    
18 Jan 2022                                    
                                
                                                            
                                    
                                        Next review:
                                    
                                    
18 Jan 2025                                    
                                
                                                            
                                    
                                        Edition:
                                    
                                    
                                        2
                                    
                                
                        
                        The Rapid Referral Guidelines are a NICE endorsed summary of the guidelines for suspected cancer (NG12). They can help primary care professionals when referring patients for diagnostic tests.
                    
                    
                            
                                View online
                            
                    
                    
                                        
                                            Published: 
                                        
                                        
                                            18 Jan 2022
                                        
                                    
                                                                    
                                        
                                            Next review:
                                        
                                        
                                            18 Jan 2025
                                        
                                    
                                                                    
                                        
                                            Edition:
                                        
                                        
                                            2
                                        
                                    
                            
                        The Rapid Referral Guidelines are a NICE endorsed summary of the guidelines for suspected cancer (NG12). They can help primary care professionals when referring patients for diagnostic tests.
                    
                    
                        About these guidlines
Our rapid referral guidelines are designed to help you identify children, young people and adults with symptoms of suspected cancer. They can help you decide if a referral is:
- non-urgent – requires routine referral or tests
- urgent – required within two weeks
- very urgent – required within 48 hours.
The guidelines are endorsed by NICE and summarise the (NG12) guidelines for suspected cancer. They suggest what to look for in primary care, with referral recommendations and safety netting advice.
The NHS has specific Referral guidelines for Scotland.