Trial forms part of government plans to expedite referrals for patients with cancer symptoms

Women who are concerned about lumps in their breasts will be able to book an appointment to see a specialist via the NHS app, without seeing a GP first, in a pilot scheme aimed at speeding up cancer diagnoses.

Wes Streeting, the health secretary, announced the move in a speech to hundreds of family doctors at the Royal College of General Practitioners’ (RCGP) annual conference in Liverpool on Friday.