National Audit Office

Four years into the 10-year life of the NHS Cancer Plan, this report concludes that the Plan is impressive in its coverage and has resulted in better cancer services. There is still more to be done, however. Substantial progress has been made in meeting the Plan's targets. However, the thirty-four cancer networks - partnerships of local NHS organisations providing cancer services - are not always as effective as they should be. Resources are not always sufficient and not all of the networks plan effectively. The networks need to develop partnership working further if the targets in the Cancer Plan are to be fully met by 2010. Decisions need to be taken now on how to update and bring together all elements of the current cancer strategy in a unified way that ensures it remains the central guiding approach for improving cancer services and outcomes.… (meer)

Following on from a NAO report (HCP 364, session 2003-04; ISBN 010292757X) published in March 2004, the Committee's report examines the extent of progress being made to improve the prevention and early detection of cancer, to improve the quality of cancer treatments, and to reduce regional variations in cancer survival and mortality rates in England. Findings include: research shows that people in more deprived areas are likely to have their cancer identified at a more advanced stage, and further work needs to be undertaken to tackle the underlying reasons for late presentation; action is needed to help GPs improve early detection rates, with the development of GP cancer specialists to spread good practice amongst the profession; and improved recording mechanisms are required to monitor the time taken for patient assessment, referral, diagnosis and treatment, with better availability of public information on provision of local cancer services.… (meer)

In 1999- 2000 the Department of Health undertook a large scale national survey of cancer patients to establish a their opinions on the quality of the service they received. Since that survey significant extra funds have been devoted to cancer services and so the National Audit Office decided to conduct a follow-up survey to see if there had been improvements. Overall they found encouraging progress in most aspects of the patient experience but there were a minority of patients who had issues with the communication of information, symptom relief and lack of options in their last days. Prostrate cancer patients had the worst experiences and patients in London were less positive than those in other parts of the country.… (meer)