Around half of Wales’ family doctors say the limited time available during appointments is making it harder to spot gynaecological cancers.

A study surveying one hundred GPs across Wales found that forty-nine percent cited short consultation lengths as a major barrier to detecting gynaecological malignancies.

The Censuswide poll, carried out for Claire’s Campaign by Tenovus Cancer Care, highlights the ongoing difficulties GPs face when detecting and referring women who may have gynaecological cancer.

Gareth Howells, head of Tenovus Cancer Care, commented that as the next Welsh Government takes office, gynaecological cancer must be given priority in women’s health strategies. He noted that when almost half of GPs report they do not have enough time with patients, and one in three worry about referring into a system already stretched thin, this should sound a clear alarm. He added that GPs want to provide proper care, but they need sufficient time to fully assess symptoms, quicker access to diagnostic tests and specialist advice, and a system that supports timely referrals when concerns arise.

The survey also highlighted other concerns, including doctors’ anxieties about overwhelming an already strained NHS (34 percent), difficulty distinguishing cancerous growths from benign conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (39 percent), and lack of speedy access to diagnostic tests and specialist referral routes.

Wales sees roughly twelve hundred new gynaecological cancer diagnoses each year, with about four hundred and seventy deaths.

Figures from the Welsh Government reveal that just over half, specifically 50.7 percent, of gynaecological cancer patients start treatment within the sixty-two day target window.

Dr Kathrin Thomas, a public health consultant and former GP, said that women need time to discuss their concerns, especially when symptoms are vague or unusual, and time for proper examinations. She noted that if women are to feel listened to, the single most important thing that can be given them is time. She added that GPs are eager to provide the best possible care, but what holds them back is not having enough time to recognise those atypical presentations, the more complex, unusual and difficult cases, which also require ongoing patient follow-up.