An investment of £450 million from the NHS has brought “encouraging results” to the early diagnosis of cancers according to the Strategy for Cancerreport.
Published this morning by NHS England, the report examines cancer treatment across the UK and outlines how the NHS will fight the disease in future.
Campaigns such as the Clear on Cancer campaign and Bowel Scope Screening have been implemented as a direct result of the investment and have continued to raise public awareness on the signs of cancer.
An investment of £450 million from the NHS has brought “encouraging results” to the early diagnosis of cancers according to the Strategy for Cancerreport.
Published this morning by NHS England, the report examines cancer treatment across the UK and outlines how the NHS will fight the disease in future.
Campaigns such as the Clear on Cancer campaign and Bowel Scope Screening have been implemented as a direct result of the investment and have continued to raise public awareness on the signs of cancer.
MP Jane Ellison, responsible for public health,said ”I would like to thank all of those, and in particular frontline NHS staff, who have worked so hard in working towards delivering this strategy. The goal remains simple but so precious, more lives saved by cancer. “
The report places emphasis on the importance of diagnosing cancers early to reduce mortality rates among those with the condition.
It estimates that if the proportion of cancers diagnosed at stages 1 and 2 were increased by 10%, between 7,000 and 9,000 more people per year would survive their cancer for five years.
It also shows that 25% of people are still diagnosed through emergency routes and that shifting focus to cancers that are difficult to diagnose, where survival rates have remained stubbornly unchanged, is key.
Despite a huge increase in referrals, including 51% more urgent GP referrals for suspected cancer than in 2009/10, waiting times have remained constant. However, there have been some strains on performance against the 62-day standard for urgent GP referral to treatment.
Most patients (89%) rated their care as “excellent” or “very good” although there is still “room for improvement”
