Patients could get cancer scans without GP referral, says Steve Barclay

Health secretary suggested patients could go directly to diagnostic test or clinician to ease bottleneck' in NHS system

Patients with cancer symptoms could bypass their GP in the future and go straight for a scan, the health secretary has suggested, in the latest radical" attempt by the government to cut huge NHS waiting lists.

The suggestion, which comes as the government is expected to reduce the number of NHS cancer waiting time targets, could form part of proposals to design out bottlenecks" in the NHS system, Steve Barclay said in an interview.