How do I get a referral to the cancer family history service?
You can ask your GP or your healthcare professional if you are suitable for a referral, or you can self-refer using the self-refer section on this website.
Why have I been referred?
Your health care provider has deemed that you could be at an increased risk of certain cancers and may need a risk assessment to determine whether additional screening is required for yourself and family members.
I have been referred, what happens next?
You will receive a family history questionnaire to complete. Once this is completed and returned to the department, we will build a family tree (pedigree) and try to confirm the cancers within your family, we may need more information from yourself or family members to do this.
Once this is complete, we will assess your family and contact you with recommendations, this could be either by letter or an appointment.
What if I need assistance?
We want to make sure our service is accessible to everyone. If you have any specific communication or access needs, please let us know so we can make reasonable adjustments for you.
We can support you by providing:
- Extended appointments to give you extra time
- Face-to-face appointments if you prefer to speak in person
- Language interpreters and British Sign Language (BSL) support
- Help with completing forms
I need an interpreter, what should I do?
If you need an interpreter for your appointment, please contact us.
The staff can arrange an interpreter if required, we can offer British sign language services along with telephone or face to face interpreters.
If you prefer, you can ask a close relative, friend or health professional to support you.
Can I have a family member present?
You are welcome to have a family member or friend present for support.
What information do I need to provide?
We will send you a family history questionnaire to complete.
This helps us build a picture (pedigree) of your family and make a risk assessment for yourself and family members. Without the questionnaire we are unable to give you an accurate risk assessment and advice on screening. To draw a family tree, we may ask you about:
- Full names of family members
- Dates of birth and death (if possible)
- Information about cancers within the family
We may also ask you to get permission from a relative for us to obtain further information about their condition.
If another relative has been seen in the genetics clinic before, it would be helpful if you could let us know so we can have as much information as possible when we see you.
We will never contact a relative or obtain medical records without permission.
What happens at my appointment?
We will discuss your family history and make recommendations regarding screening for eligible family members.
We may offer you genetic testing and discuss what this means for yourself and family members. If you are offered testing a form will be given or sent for you to have a blood test.
What if I have a positive gene test?
If you have a positive result confirmed, you will be referred to our genetic counsellors.
genetic counsellors are health professionals with specialist training in providing information about genetic conditions, helping patients make their own decisions about genetic testing and health choices and supporting families with genetic conditions.
Where will my appointment be?
Appointments are usually via phone. We do hold face to face clinics in Guisborough and Northallerton monthly, please note, you may wait longer to be seen face to face.
We can also offer video appointments for people needing to use British sign language interpreters.
I am a trans person or identify as non-binary, can I still be risk assessed?
Yes, absolutely. We welcome and provide risk assessments, screening, and genetic testing for people of all genders.
If you are trans, non-binary, or gender-diverse, we will tailor our advice to you as an individual, your family history, and personal healthcare goals.
Together, we can discuss the best options for cancer screening at every stage of your journey.
To give you the most accurate and personalised guidance, we may ask for details about your transition history, surgical status, or gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT). Your comfort, privacy, and identity are fully respected.
Can I have a genetic test?
Genetic testing is available for families with a very high risk of inherited cancer.
To see if you qualify, we assess your family history against national regional guidelines and the Genomic Test Directory.
- If a genetic fault is already known in your family: You can usually be tested directly to see if you inherited it.
- If no genetic fault is known yet: We typically need to test a living blood relative who has had cancer first. This allows us to search for the specific genetic marker linked to your family’s history.
If you do not meet the criteria for a genetic test, or if an affected relative is unavailable, we will still use your family history to inform you of your risk and what screening is available for yourself and family members.