Ovarian Cancer Action welcomes Jess’s Rule: a crucial step for quicker diagnosis
Ovarian Cancer Action strongly welcomes today’s announcement of Jess’s Rule, a new NHS initiative that urges GPs to act if a patient has attended three times with the same unresolved symptoms.
What is Jess's Rule?
Named after Jessica Brady, who tragically died aged 27 after more than 20 GP appointments without referral, the rule will make a difference for thousands of women whose symptoms are too often dismissed or misattributed.
This change matters for women. Shockingly, 40% of women with ovarian cancer are only diagnosed after presenting at A&E - often when their cancer is already advanced and treatment options are limited.
Women’s pain is too often dismissed or misdiagnosed. Too many are told it’s “just” IBS, the menopause, or stress. Awareness of symptoms is alarmingly low – only 1 in 5 women know that persistent bloating can be a warning sign for ovarian cancer. And with 7,500 women receiving a diagnosis each year in the UK, many GPs will only ever see two cases across their entire career. The result? Women are left unheard until their pain becomes an emergency, with devastating consequences.
Jess’s Rule is a critical reminder that persistent symptoms must trigger action: further tests, a specialist referral, or at the very least a second opinion. It challenges the culture of “wait and see” that has allowed too many women to be diagnosed late.
The importance of early diagnosis.
Earlier diagnosis saves lives. For ovarian cancer patients, catching the disease sooner means more treatment options and a greater chance of surviving their disease. This initiative has the power to shift outcomes, giving women hope and time.
“Nearly half of women with ovarian cancer are only diagnosed once their symptoms are so severe they end up in A&E. This is a failure of awareness, of diagnosis, and of the system. And it’s costing lives. Jess’s Rule offers hope to every woman fighting to be heard.”
We now call on the government and NHS to ensure Jess’s Rule is rolled out effectively across GP practices, backed by resources for diagnostic tests and specialist women’s health hubs. This must be more than guidance on paper - it must lead to real change in practice.
If you are experiencing ovarian cancer symptoms, take our new Symptoms Checker. It’s a free, fast online tool designed to help people spot symptoms early, recognise patterns, and seek medical advice sooner.
It takes less than 60 seconds to use, and it could save your life.
