A new taskforce has been announced that will develop a five year plan for cancer services by NHS England.
The plan focuses on diagnosing cancer sooner through offering patients the option to self-refer for diagnostic tests, lowering referral thresholds for GPs and open multi-disciplinary diagnostic centres enabling patients to have multiple tests on the same day.
NHS England is also looking to increase access to stereotactive ablative radiotherapy and to improve the monitoring of cancer survival at a local level.
A new taskforce has been announced that will develop a five year plan for cancer services by NHS England.
The plan focuses on diagnosing cancer sooner through offering patients the option to self-refer for diagnostic tests, lowering referral thresholds for GPs and open multi-disciplinary diagnostic centres enabling patients to have multiple tests on the same day.
NHS England is also looking to increase access to stereotactive ablative radiotherapy and to improve the monitoring of cancer survival at a local level.
Harpal Kumar, Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK and head of the NHS cancer taskforce, said: “TheFive Year Forward View has set out a compelling vision for the delivery of health services. We also know that many more people will be diagnosed with cancer in the years ahead.
“Cancer Research UK is projecting an increase of a third in the number of cases over the next 15 years. So the time is right to set new ambitions and to take a fresh look at how we will meet this need.”
NHS England’s chief executive,Simon Stevens, said: “Cancer survival rates in England are at an all-time high, but too many patients are still being diagnosed late – up to one in four only when they present in A&E. So it’s time for a fresh look at how we can do even better – with more focus on prevention, earlier diagnosis and modern radiotherapy and other services so that over the next five years we can save at least 8,000 more lives a year.”
