PUBLIC health chiefs across West Yorkshire are backing a new ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ campaign to raise awareness of the symptoms of lung and heart disease.

The Public Health England (PHE) initiative is urging people to consult their GP is they have ongoing problems such as breathlessness or a persistent cough.

In 2015/16, a total of 16,283 people were registered as having Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) across the three NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) in the district - Bradford City, Bradford Districts, and Airedale, Wharfedale, and Craven - with a further 25,488 registered as suffering from coronary heart disease.

In 2015, 401 people across the three CCGs were newly-diagnosed with lung cancer.

PHE states the combined diseases are some of the leading causes of death across England, with more than 150,000 fatalities every year.

The new campaign is aimed at men and women aged 50, as they are deemed to be most at-risk.

Symptoms of heart and lung disease (including lung cancer) include:

  • a cough that has lasted 3 weeks or more could be a sign of lung disease, including cancer
  • getting out of breath doing things you used to be able to do could be a sign of lung or heart disease, or even cancer
  • a cough that has got worse or changes
  • frequent chest infections
  • coughing up blood
  • chest pain or shoulder pain
  • wheezing
  • feeling more tired than usual for some time
  • losing weight for no obvious reason

The call comes as a new survey conducted on behalf of PHE found that 89 per cent of adults over 50 in Yorkshire and the Humber would urge friends and family to seek help if they had symptoms of the diseases, but only 69 per cent would contact their GP if they had the symptoms themselves.

The results also found that 38 per cent of people would wait a month or longer before visiting their GP if they experienced breathlessness doing everyday things, and 62 per cent would wait a month before speaking to their GP if they had a persistent cough.

Dr Kevin Smith, from PHE, said: “Across Yorkshire and the Humber there are more than 129,000 people with COPD and 215,000 with heart disease. The most recent figures showed over 4,400 people were diagnosed with lung cancer over the course of a year.

“If diagnosed early, these diseases can be managed and treated successfully. If you’ve been coughing for three weeks or more or becoming breathless doing things you used to be able to do, don’t wait, see your doctor and get checked out.”

Dr Dawn Harper, who is supporting the campaign, said: “People may put off visiting their GP for a number of reasons. Some may not think getting out of breath doing everyday things could be a sign of something serious, they may put a persistent cough down to an infection, they may be fearful of what they will find out, or even worry about wasting their GP’s time.You won’t be wasting our time, we want to see you and we want to help.”

A ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ roadshow will be visiting Yorkshire and Humber to raise awareness of the campaign, and the team will be at the Kirkgate Centre in Bradford on Monday July 17, and Tuesday July 18.

The national campaign runs until August 31.