‘Good progress’ on improving cancer care
Cancer care services received rare good news this past week with an upbeat National Audit Office report that commended efforts to meet targets set out in the government's 10-year cancer plan published in 2000.
It said 34 cancer networks of local NHS trusts and specialists had been set up, and achieved important improvements. However, it warned that more work and better collaboration were needed if the targets were to be fully met by 2010. The report said good progress had been made on most of the major targets, with many either met, or on course to be met. These included improving screening, speeding up access to diagnosis and treatment, and increasing the number of specialists.
The positive messages the report brought out:
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Training places have more than doubled. Average attrition rates reduced significantly between 2001 and 2002 in diagnostics and radiotherapy;
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New roles introduced for diagnostic and other staff. New skill mix models are being implemented for breast screening and radiotherapy;
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The extension of the breast screening programme;
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Speedier access to cancer diagnosis and treatment;
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Establishment of specialist cancer teams;
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Getting more cancer specialists in place, and faster than planned;
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Modernising and expanding cancer diagnostic and treatment facilities.
The bad news:
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Sufficient resources are not always available to enable networks to operate effectively;
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Not all cancer networks plan effectively.For example, three of 10 networks spoken to did not have a current service delivery plan. By late 2003 only a third of networks had produced a workforce strategy, and just over a third had developed an education and training strategy.
Download a copy of the NAO report here.
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