Tackling Cancer Inequalities - one year on

Tackling Cancer Inequalities – one year on| highlights the progress made towards meeting the actions in our 2009 report| and the next steps that are necessary to ensuring every cancer patient - no matter who they are, where they live or what cancer they have - can receive the same high quality treatment, care and service.

Summary of Progress

In our 2009 report the APPGC called for the introduction of a one-year cancer survival indicator to improve early diagnosis and outcomes for all.

The Government has responded by including one-year cancer survival rates as an improvement area for the NHS in the proposed Outcomes Framework. This represents a significant step forward.

 Other areas of progress:

• The Government announced that £9 million will be spent to support local campaigns, which raise awareness and promote earlier diagnosis of the signs and symptom of cancer
• The Cancer Patient Experience Survey was carried out
• The Cancer Drug Fund was launched
• The Sunbed Act was passed, which will protect many younger people from the damaging effects of sunbeds.

However, progress has not been wholesale and there are still many areas where action has not met expectation.

We have proposed a number of next steps:

• Healthcare commissioners need to be incentivised to deliver year-on-year improvements to cancer survival rates in their areas
• More equality data (sexual orientation, age, ethnicity and postcode) needs to be collected on all cancer patients
• Healthcare providers and commissioners need to use the results from the Cancer Patient Experience Survey to improve services and tackle any inequality identified
• The Cancer Drug Fund must prioritise people with rarer cancers
• Every cancer patient should be offered a care plan so that services are better coordinated and meet their emotional, financial, practical and information needs.

Further information

Read the report: Tackling cancer inequalities - one year on|.

If you have any comments or queries, please do not hesitate to contact the APPGC secretariat by emailing JAdams-Strump@macmillan.org.uk| or calling 020 7840 4946.