Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) that consistently fail to deliver on targets to improve cancer care have been warned they will be reported to the chief executive of NHS England Simon Stevens.
Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) that consistently fail to deliver on targets to improve cancer care have been warned they will be reported to the chief executive of NHS England Simon Stevens.
Unveiling its strategy Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes: Taking the strategy forward NHS England’s national cancer director Cally Palmer said cancer diagnoses were “devastating” and early diagnosis was essential. She said: “We know our survival rates are not good enough in this country, we know we can do more to improve patients’ experiences and long-term quality of life, and we know there is unwarranted variation in outcomes between different parts of the country and for those of different backgrounds.”
All CCGs have been told to ensure that plans for “appropriate diagnostic capacity” is one of the nine “must dos” in this year’s planning guidance from NHS England.
CCGs showing good outcomes or improvement in diagnosing cancer at an early stage are getting support through the Quality Premium.
NHS England said it had an ambitious target by 2020 for people to be diagnosed with cancer, or have the disease ruled out, within 28 days of a referral by their GP.
Referrals have increased by 50% or 1.5 million over the last four years.
NHS England said the National Diagnostics Capacity Fund will make awards from the autumn to test schemes for more efficient diagnosis such as self-referral or using a primary care clinical nurse specialist.
Patients’ experience is at the centre of key cancer outcomes revealed in the CCG Improvement and Assessment Framework, which is published for the first time next month.
They will be used by CCGs, STP footprints and Cancer Alliances to look at ways of improving care.
The Cancer Taskforce will also look at the causes of poorer experiences for different patient groups.
An accountable clinical network model is being tested by the national cancer vanguard, is led by the Christie Hospital in Manchester and London’s Royal Marsden Hospital.
NHS England said it would use the results to roll out transformational changes to commissioning and cancer provision over the next five years.
It will also ensure that CCGs commission appropriate integrated palliative and end of life care.
The strategy comes as Cancer Research UK’s head of policy Emma Greenwood said missed targets revealed in cancer waiting lists today were “worrying”.
According to the latest quarterly figures more than 50,000 patients had to wait longer than 62 days for treatment –more than two years since targets were met.
The figures showed waiting time targets were met for 82% of patients with suspected cancer, missing NHS England’s target of 85%.