Calls for improved identification of GORD

Prevalence of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use is about 15% of the UK population, with prescriptions for England alone estimated to cost NHSE about £190 million.¹ Despite widespread PPI prescribing, the majority of patients have no recorded indication, and most have never had a diagnostic test.² With NHS budgets stretched and reflux a key risk factor in developing Oesophageal cancer, it's time to rethink how we identify Gastro Oesophageal Reflux Disease (GORD), ensure diagnostic accuracy and manage patients more efficiently.

GORD is one of the most commonly treated Gastro-Intestinal (GI) conditions and yet for the vast majority of UK patients, they are treated without any diagnostic confirmation. NICE guidelines favour symptom-led treatment, but this approach risks missing structural disease and delaying intervention. Without diagnostics, conditions like Barrett's oesophagus or early malignancy oesophageal cancer may go undetected. We're treating symptoms, not patients - and losing the chance to prevent serious complications.

As NHS England's 2025 mandate calls for a shift from hospital to community care, and from sickness to prevention, GORD management must evolve to reflect that ambition: prioritising early identification, diagnostic clarity and long-term risk reduction.³ With rapidly advancing diagnostics in the field, there has never been a better time to address this.