SOUTH NORFOLK MP Richard Bacon has criticised the slow progress in improving treatment of cancer.
The Commons public accounts committee, Parliament's public spending watchdog, published a report which examined the progress, prevention and early detection of cancer; improving the quality of cancer treatments; and reducing the variations in cancer survival and mortality rates between different parts of England.
Commenting on the report, Mr Bacon, a member of the committee, said: “There has been some progress but the UK still lags behind others in Europe in treating cancer. A significant number of patients who are eventually diagnosed with cancer wait much longer than they should to be treated.
“Waiting times for radiotherapy are too long and getting longer. Besides continuing efforts to recruit more staff, there is a clear need to re-design services and cut through the administrative delays which are harming patient care. The government must also set a deadline for ending the postcode lottery for prescribing anti-cancer drugs such as Herceptin.
“There should be better information locally about the quality of cancer services in each area, including whether surgery is being carried out by specialists who perform 50 or more operations per year, in accordance with the guidelines.
“Action is also needed to help GPs improve their ability to diagnose cancer patients and the health service should consider developing some GPs with more specialist knowledge of cancer”.
15 December 2004
See also:
PAC REPORT:
Tackling Cancer in England: Saving More Lives
PARLIAMENT: Cancer patients missing out on £200 million, says MP
PARLIAMENT: Cancer patients waiting too long, says MP
PARLIAMENT: MP debates Norfolk health cash crisis
SPEECHES: Financing health services in Norfolk
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