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Moles: Histological Testing
30 October 2025
Lead MP
Richard Quigley
Isle of Wight West
Lab
Responding Minister
Ashley Dalton
Tags
NHS
Word Count: 7098
Other Contributors: 7
At a Glance
Richard Quigley raised concerns about moles: histological testing in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
The safeguard being proposed is simple: all healthcare providers must test lesions they remove to prevent tragedies like Zoe’s from occurring. This extra check—a “Zoe check”—would be cheap (lab fees around £100) and could significantly improve early detection, potentially saving lives and reducing the overall cost of cancer treatment.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Zoe Panayi's tragic death from melanoma at age 26 after her concerns about a mole were dismissed by healthcare providers highlights the need for mandatory histological testing of excised moles. Her case underscores that existing practices are inadequate, and many patients face significant delays in diagnosis and treatment.
Ashley Dalton
Con
Derby North
Responded that figures are not available but offered to provide them, mentioned testing AI-based platforms for patient triage.
Ben Goldsborough
Lab
South Norfolk
Thanks Zoe’s family for sharing their story and supports the campaign to prevent similar tragedies. Talks about his own diagnosis and treatment, emphasizing the importance of mental health support alongside physical treatment.
Carolyn Harris
Lab
Neath and Swansea East
Unprotected UV exposure poses huge risks and is creating a greater volume of potentially malignant lesions. Accurate and timely histological testing is crucial as the number of new cases of melanoma is projected to rise to nearly 27,000 by 2040.
Winchester
Called for a two-month cancer treatment guarantee and emphasized the importance of early diagnosis in improving survival rates.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Discussed wait times for melanoma biopsies in Northern Ireland and highlighted the need for urgency in NHS care across the UK.
Quigley
Con
Isle of Wight West
Zoe Panayi trusted the system but was let down, highlighting the importance of Zoe’s law to ensure every mole removal is tested.
Bath
Welcomes the call for mandatory mole testing and supports the introduction of 'Zoe's Check' to diagnose more cancers and save lives. Calls for early detection and fast treatment, proposing that the government makes a 62-day cancer treatment target law. Asked for figures on the use of teledermatology by GPs.
Government Response
Ashley Dalton
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Government Response
Apologising for Zoe’s heartbreaking story, the Minister expresses condolences to her family and acknowledges their campaigning efforts. She thanks all hon. Members for contributing to the debate and commits to exploring options regarding sun damage and sunbeds issues as necessary. Acknowledged Zoe's story and the petition with almost 40,000 signatures. Discussed NHS awareness campaigns, Jess’s rule to support GPs in making timely diagnoses, commitment to best practice clinical guidance from NICE, histological testing routine for excised moles, exploration of regulations for high-risk cosmetic procedures. Mentioned spending £600 million on diagnostics and exceeding faster diagnosis standard for skin cancer. Highlighted plans to publish a national cancer plan with patient-focused reforms.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.