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Select Committee · Health and Social Care Committee

Cancer services

Status: Closed Opened: 6 Jul 2021 Closed: 1 Aug 2022 15 recommendations 15 conclusions 1 report

This inquiry will ask why cancer outcomes in England continue to lag behind comparable countries internationally and examine evidence relating to the underlying causes of these differences. We will also consider what impact disruption to cancer services during the covid-19 pandemic will have on efforts to catch up, and ask whether the ambitions set out … Show more

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Twelfth Report - Cancer services HC 551 5 Apr 2022 30 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

8 items
5 Conclusion Twelfth Report - Cancer services Acknowledged

We understand the rationale for simplifying the Cancer Waiting Times standards.

We understand the rationale for simplifying the Cancer Waiting Times standards. It is important that NHS cancer services are given a clear set of targets to achieve and that these targets are the ones that are most important to patients. However, we note that there are no current plans to … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledged the importance of a quick cancer diagnosis, referring to the Delivery Plan for Tackling the COVID-19 Backlog of Elective Care and investment in Community Diagnostic Centres to increase diagnostic capacity and reduce waiting times.
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Department of Health and Social Care
7 Recommendation Twelfth Report - Cancer services Acknowledged

The Government and NHS England must set out detailed plans for how the £2.3 billion...

The Government and NHS England must set out detailed plans for how the £2.3 billion investment in Community Diagnostic Centres will be utilised, in particular detailing how many additional CT, MRI and PET-CT scanners and endoscopy suites the investment will provide. Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the recommendation by referencing the Delivery Plan for Tackling the COVID-19 Backlog of Elective Care and stating CDCs delivered over 880,000 diagnostic tests in 2021/22, projecting 17 million more tests over the next three years, increasing annual capacity by 9 million tests …
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Department of Health and Social Care
8 Recommendation Twelfth Report - Cancer services Acknowledged

The Government and NHS England must also develop a specific plan to address gaps in...

The Government and NHS England must also develop a specific plan to address gaps in the diagnostic workforce, setting out how it will address both short-term and long- term shortages in key professions, and particularly what investment will be required to deliver sustainable long-term increases in these key professions. Read more

Government response AI summary
Health Education England invested £52 million in 2021/22 in the cancer and diagnostics workforce and the Government's forthcoming 10 Year Cancer Plan will set a new vision for cancer care, and the Department commissioned HEE to review long term strategic trends for the health workforce.
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Department of Health and Social Care
9 Conclusion Twelfth Report - Cancer services Acknowledged

There is huge potential in NHS cancer data, and a large amount of data from...

There is huge potential in NHS cancer data, and a large amount of data from NHS cancer services is already collected and reported. However, there is significant room for improvement, particularly in reducing the two years it takes to collect and publish data on cancer stage. A major overhaul of … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government welcomes the committee's recognition of work underway to diagnose 75% of cancers by 2028, highlighting six priorities to increase early diagnosis and stating it is premature to suggest progress is off track.
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Department of Health and Social Care
11 Recommendation Twelfth Report - Cancer services Acknowledged

The static trajectory in early diagnosis demands that the Government’s new plan for cancer services...

The static trajectory in early diagnosis demands that the Government’s new plan for cancer services must include a clear action plan for achieving the 75% early diagnosis ambition which goes beyond current plans and considers much more radical proposals to kickstart progress. (Paragraph 72) Access to treatments Read more

Government response AI summary
The government welcomes the recognition of its work to diagnose 75% of cancers by 2028 and lists existing priorities, but doesn't commit to any new or radical action to achieve the target.
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Department of Health and Social Care
14 Recommendation Twelfth Report - Cancer services Acknowledged

Based on these estimates the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England should...

Based on these estimates the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England should set out: a) an estimate of what level of additional capacity in NHS cancer services will be needed to address the backlog in cancer services and treatment by March 2023; and b) an action plan … Read more

Government response AI summary
Cancer diagnosis and treatment has remained a top priority and there were over 4.9 million urgent referrals and over 600,000 people started cancer treatment between March 2020 and March 2022 and describes existing NHS Long Term Plan ambitions on early cancer diagnosis and actions local …
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Department of Health and Social Care
15 Conclusion Twelfth Report - Cancer services Acknowledged

For patients with limited treatment options the approval of a new drug or therapy can...

For patients with limited treatment options the approval of a new drug or therapy can make a significant difference even when the survival benefit is only months. Despite the effectiveness of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s regulatory process, and despite some progress by NICE in approving medicines more … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges that the drug approval process is too slow but states that NICE is committed to publishing guidance around the time of licensing and has consistently delivered on this commitment in the majority of cases.
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Department of Health and Social Care
25 Recommendation Twelfth Report - Cancer services Acknowledged

The new Office for Health Improvement and Disparities should review the drivers of disparities in...

The new Office for Health Improvement and Disparities should review the drivers of disparities in cancer outcomes and develop a joint strategy with NHS England to address these disparities.

Government response AI summary
The government states they remain committed to levelling up outcomes across the UK and are planning on publishing the Health Disparities White Paper later this year to break the link between people’s backgrounds and their prospects for a healthy life.
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Department of Health and Social Care

Oral evidence sessions

5 sessions
Date Witnesses
20 Jan 2022 Dame Cally Palmer · NHS England, Judith Neptial, cancer patient, Maria Caulfield · Department of Health and Social Care, Mark Foulkes · Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, Professor Peter Johnson · NHS England, William Vineall · Department of Health and Social Care View ↗
9 Nov 2021 Anna Jewell · Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce, Ian Vousden · Kent and Medway Cancer Alliance, Jane Lyons · Cancer52, Katy Hall, Expert by experience, Professor David Baldwin · School of Medicine (University of Nottingham), Professor David Shackley · Greater Manchester Cancer, Sarah Stevens · National Disease Registration Service, NHS Digital View ↗
26 Oct 2021 Baroness Delyth Morgan · Breast Cancer Now, David Watson · The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), Dr Philippa Hetherington, Expert by experience, Professor David Cunningham · Association of Cancer Physicians, Professor Mike Griffin · Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Professor Nick James · Institute of Cancer Research, Professor Pat Price · Action Radiotherapy View ↗
14 Sep 2021 Andrea Brady, person with lived experience, Dr Andrew Millar · North Central London Cancer Alliance, Dr Jeanette Dickson · Council of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, Dr Richard Roope · Royal College of General Practitioners, Michelle Mitchell · Cancer Research UK, Professor Peter Sasieni · King's College London, Clinical Trials Unit, Sir Harpal Kumar · GRAIL Europe View ↗
13 Jul 2021 Dame Cally Palmer · NHS England, John Butler · International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership, Prof Jon Emery · University of Melbourne, Prof Peter Johnson · NHS England, Prof Sir Mike Richards, Former National Cancer Director View ↗

Who gave evidence

31 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Dame Cally Palmer · National Cancer Director NHS England 2
Andrea Brady, person with lived experience — 1
Anna Jewell · Chair Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce 1
Baroness Delyth Morgan · Chief Executive Breast Cancer Now 1
David Watson · Executive Director of Economic, Health and Commer… The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) 1
Dr Andrew Millar · Rapid Diagnostic Centre Lead North Central London Cancer Alliance 1
Dr Jeanette Dickson · Chair Council of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges 1
Dr Philippa Hetherington, Expert by experience — 1
Dr Richard Roope · Clinical Adviser for Cancer Royal College of General Practitioners 1
Ian Vousden · Programme Director Kent and Medway Cancer Alliance 1
Jane Lyons · Chief Executive Officer Cancer52 1
John Butler · Clinical Lead International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership 1
Judith Neptial, cancer patient — 1
Katy Hall, Expert by experience — 1
Maria Caulfield · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Department of Health and Social Care 1
Mark Foulkes · Macmillan Lead Cancer Nurse Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust 1
Michelle Mitchell · Chief Executive Officer Cancer Research UK 1
Prof Jon Emery · Chair of Primary Care Cancer Research University of Melbourne 1
Prof Peter Johnson · National Clinical Director for Cancer NHS England 1
Prof Sir Mike Richards, Former National Cancer Director — 1
Professor David Baldwin · Consultant Respiratory Physician and Honorary Pro… School of Medicine (University of Nottingham) 1
Professor David Cunningham · Chair Association of Cancer Physicians 1
Professor David Shackley · Director Greater Manchester Cancer 1
Professor Mike Griffin · President Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh 1
Professor Nick James · Prostate and Bladder Cancer Team Leader Institute of Cancer Research 1
Professor Pat Price · Consultant Clinical Oncologist and Chair Action Radiotherapy 1
Professor Peter Johnson · National Clinical Director for Cancer NHS England 1
Professor Peter Sasieni · Academic Director King's College London, Clinical Trials Unit 1
Sarah Stevens · Deputy Director National Disease Registration Service, NHS Digital 1
Sir Harpal Kumar · President GRAIL Europe 1
William Vineall · Director of NHS Quality, Safety and Investigations Department of Health and Social Care 1

Correspondence

3 letters
DateDirectionTitle
29 Mar 2022 — Corresondence from the National Cancer Director on the Cancer services inquiry
25 Jan 2022 To cttee Letter from the National Cancer Director and National Clinical Director on Canc…
19 Oct 2021 To cttee Letter from Jeanette Dickson providing further information requested by the Com…