Bowel cancer: 'Go private for tests', says advisor Department of Health officials warned primary care trusts (PCTs) to expect a 15 per cent increase in demand for endoscopy due to its Be Clear on Cancer campaign. Yet GP magazine found only 47 of 94 PCTs that responded to Freedom of Information requests, said they had invested extra in 2011-12. Of the 47 that had not, 85 per cent said they did not intend to expand capacity in 2012-13. Last year ministers announced PCTs would receive an extra £450 million over four years to invest in better cancer tests. Deborah Alsina, chief executive of Bowel Cancer UK, said the failure to invest would compromise the Government's cancer strategy. Andy Burnham, the Shadow Health Secretary, said diagnostic waiting times were "going in the wrong direction" under the Coalition. He said: "There are now more than twice as many people waiting longer than six weeks for endoscopy tests compared to May 2010." However, he said cancer treatment "must not be based on the ability to pay." A Department of Health spokesman said the proportion waiting more than six weeks for endoscopy tests had continued to fall since May 2011. In raw numbers, she said they fell from 6,283 in May 2011 to 2,265 in March 2012. She added: "It is for the local NHS to ensure it has appropriate levels of service."