Reid responds to PAC report 'tackling cancer in England: Saving more lives'

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 25 Jan 2005 - 11:00 PDT


Responding today to the Public Accounts Committee report - 'Tackling Cancer in England: Saving More Lives, Health Secretary John Reid said:

"Every cancer patient deserves the best possible treatment and care, regardless of where they live. Improving cancer services is a priority for this government. We are making good progress - since 1997 there are an extra 1182 cancer specialists and 1100 more pieces of equipment such as scanners. As a result, survival rates are improving and death rates are falling fast - the latest figures show a 12% reduction in premature deaths over the past six years.

"We are working hard to make sure that we detect cancer earlier. Last year 13% more cases of breast cancer were picked up through the screening programme and a national bowel cancer screening programme will be introduced in April 2006. We want to make sure that all those with cancer are treated quickly - over 99% of patients are now seen by a specialist within two months of being urgently referred by their GP, and we are also helping people to make healthier choices by giving up smoking, taking exercise and eating healthily so that they can help reduce their risk of developing cancer in the first place.

"However we recognise that there is more work to do and a long way to go. The inequalities highlighted in this report have already been identified by us and are being targeted. Recently we announced extra money for some of the most deprived areas in England for more health trainers and better stop smoking services. We will study this report with care but from a preliminary look we would expect to concur, or indeed to have started work on most of these recommendations".

Notes to Editors:

1. The Department will take into acount the PAC report's conclusions and recommendations and will respond formally in due course.

2. The Department is also tackling the following areas highlighted by the PAC:

Workforce

There are 37% more cancer consultants than in 1997 and 55% extra consultants in other specialities who spend time caring for cancer patients. There are also major programmes underway to expand the consultant workforce including expanding the number of pathologists and diagnostic and therapy radiographers. The number of training places for radiographers has been doubled in recent years.

There has been a big increase in the number of scanners - an extra 86 MRI scanners, 180 CT scanners and 84 linear accelerators have been provided between April 2000 to date, to improve equality of access around the country.

Guidance for GP's

Guidance for GPs originally produced by the Department is currently being revised and updated by NICE and will be published in March 2005. The Modernisation Agency has appointed three national clinical leads for cancer and primary care, and most PCTs have appointed their own clinical lead for cancer to act as local champions and spread good practice.

Variations in prescription of anti-cancer drugs

The National Cancer Director's report to the Secretary of State for Health on the use of NICE-approved cancer drugs in June 2004 showed that usage of these drugs was increasing rapidly but that there were still unacceptable variations between networks in their use.

The National Cancer Director's report made several recommendations to reduce variations, all of which were accepted. SHAs have reviewed reasons for low usage of particular drugs in all networks and are confident that appropriate measures are being taken to ensure prescribing levels are appropriate.

Waiting times for radiotherapy

Demand for radiotherapy has risen markedly in recent years. Major efforts are underway to recruit and retain more staff and to provide appropriate state-of-the-art treatment facilities. The Modernisation Agency is leading a programme to disseminate good practice in redesigning services. All these initiatives are being led and co-ordinated by the National Cancer Director working with relevant stakeholders.

Guidelines for patients

The Department of Health has set up a programme to help ensure patients who may have cancer are seen early. Research commissioned by the Department looking at reasons for delay in patients presenting to their GP has just been completed. The DH is now working with charities, patient representatives, health professionals and experts in behaviour change to design effective strategies to reduce patient delay in seeking medical advice.

Concentration of cancer surgery

Each cancer network, working with its local primary care trust, has developed action plans to implement NICE guidance. This includes recommendations on the concentration of cancer surgery in hospitals which carry out higher volumes of procedures. These action plans are signed off by SHAs and the Department of Health, alongside the National Cancer Director, will monitor progress against agreed milestones.

Better recording of information

Better recording of data on staging and treatment is a high priority. The Healthcare Commission is leading the development and roll-out of national clinical audits related to cancer, starting with lung, head and neck and bowel cancers. DH has set up a database for waiting times for cancer diagnosis and is working with Strategic Health Authorities to ensure that information for all patients is entered onto the database.

3. : CLICK HERE for the latest information on all cancer services.

4. For further media enquiries please contact Vicky Wyatt on 020 7210 5656.

GNNREF: 109559
Issued by : DOH Press Office

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