The challenge 

Improving the early diagnosis of cancer is a key national healthcare priority. While 85% of cancers are diagnosed following symptomatic consultation in primary care, a proportion of cancers remain undiagnosed.

Routine blood tests carried out in primary care assess several components of the blood, including platelets, which are a type of blood cell.

Platelet levels naturally vary according to factors such as age and sex. However, the current UK reference ranges for platelet counts do not take these normal variations into account. Elevated platelet counts can occur for many reasons, including common infections and inflammatory conditions, as well as more serious underlying illnesses.

While most people with a raised platelet count do not have cancer, it is one of several factors a GP may consider when deciding on further investigation or treatment.

The solution 

The High or Elevated Levels of Platelets (HELP) Flag innovation aims to address these issues by alerting doctors to a raised platelet count that might need investigation and providing guidance on which tests to offer.​

The diagnostic innovation focuses on identifying patients without red-flag symptoms and those at risk of being missed due to non-specific symptoms.​ It acts as a clinical alert to prompt timely investigation and referral, speeding up diagnosis in primary care.​

Our work in partnership

Health Innovation South West was approached to partner with the University of Exeter to deliver a real-world evaluation of the HELP Flag pathway as part of a bid to SBRI.​

The project aims to identify patients aged 60+ with raised platelet counts linked to higher cancer risk, supporting earlier detection.

Our work will:​

• Establish the impact on clinical outcomes and assess the economic impact. ​
• Explore barriers and enablers to implementation through focus groups with key stakeholders, observations, and review of documentation. ​
• Measure clinicians’ experiences of the pathway using qualitative interviews and a GP survey. ​
• Explore public perspectives on the HELP Flag alert, pathway, and website.

Planning is underway for the PPIE element of the evaluation along with insight captured during site meetings.​

Our impact 

Estimated impact by May 2027:

• Patient benefit: At least 3,000 patients expected to be flagged, with around 200 cancer diagnoses across sites in and out of region. ​
• System benefits: Anticipated reduction in emergency presentations over time due to earlier detection and optimisation of cancer pathways. ​
• Societal benefit: Potential for cost savings and more efficient resource use.​