Home / Sources / Select Committees / Health and Social Care Commit… / Cancer services
Index live
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

Clear

Reports

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

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 items
19 Conclusion Twelfth Report - Cancer services Deferred

Major specialist cancer hospitals have better access to staff, expertise and technology, and patients referred...

Major specialist cancer hospitals have better access to staff, expertise and technology, and patients referred to these sites are more likely to be offered potentially life- saving surgery. During the pandemic, these hospitals were the ones most likely to be able to continue treatment, perpetuating regional disparities. Creating more of … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government's response states the Cancer Call for Evidence has closed, and the responses are being analysed alongside wider evidence for a new vision for cancer care in their 10-Year Cancer Plan.
Read full response →
Department of Health and Social Care
20 Recommendation Twelfth Report - Cancer services Deferred

As part of the Government’s new cancer plan, the Government and NHS England should review...

As part of the Government’s new cancer plan, the Government and NHS England should review the organisation of cancer surgery with a specific focus on whether more specialist hospitals should be established to ensure that more cancer surgery is carried out on sites without an emergency department. Read more

Government response AI summary
The government deferred action, stating that the Cancer Call for Evidence is being analysed and the 10-Year Cancer Plan will address the organisation of cancer surgery.
Read full response →
Department of Health and Social Care
26 Conclusion Twelfth Report - Cancer services Deferred

There are specific challenges facing people with rare and less common and less survivable cancers,...

There are specific challenges facing people with rare and less common and less survivable cancers, including that they are often harder to diagnose and that issues with spreading best practice for treating less common cancers are more pronounced. Despite some positive changes such as Rapid Diagnostic Centres, it is not … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government is analysing responses to the Cancer Call for Evidence to develop the 10 Year Cancer Plan, which will address all cancer types, including rare and less survivable cancers.
Read full response →
Department of Health and Social Care
27 Recommendation Twelfth Report - Cancer services Deferred

The Government must consider rare, less common and less survivable cancers specifically as part of...

The Government must consider rare, less common and less survivable cancers specifically as part of its new cancer plan. NHS England should also produce an action plan for rare, less common and less survivable cancers, containing clear commitments to address key issues around the diagnosis and treatment of those cancers. … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government deferred action, stating that it is analysing responses to the Cancer Call for Evidence and that the 10 Year Cancer Plan will address all cancer types, including rare and less survivable cancers.
Read full response →
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…