Cancer services

Health and Social Care Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 6 Jul 2021 Closed: 1 Aug 2022 Parliament page
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 … Read more
15 Recommendations
15 Conclusions
1 Report
5 Oral sessions
3 Letters
5 Events
Activity timeline 15 events
13 Jun
2022
Report published
5 Apr
2022
Report published
29 Mar
2022
Correspondence
25 Jan
2022
Correspondence
20 Jan
2022
Oral evidence
20 Jan
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
9 Nov
2021
Oral evidence
9 Nov
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
26 Oct
2021
Oral evidence
26 Oct
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 5, Palace of Westminster
19 Oct
2021
Correspondence
14 Sep
2021
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 5 sessions
20 Jan 2022
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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
9 Nov 2021
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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
26 Oct 2021
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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
14 Sep 2021
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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
13 Jul 2021
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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
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Twelfth Report - Cancer services HC 551 5 Apr 2022 30 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
8 results
Clear
5 Conclusion Acknowledged
Twelfth Report - Cancer services
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. … Read more
Government Response
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.
Department of Health and Social Care
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7 Recommendation Acknowledged
Twelfth Report - Cancer services
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 … Read more
Government Response
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 by March 2025, but does not give detail regarding additional scanners etc.
Department of Health and Social Care
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8 Recommendation Acknowledged
Twelfth Report - Cancer services
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 … Read more
Government Response
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.
Department of Health and Social Care
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9 Conclusion Acknowledged
Twelfth Report - Cancer services
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 … Read more
Government Response
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.
Department of Health and Social Care
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11 Recommendation Acknowledged
Twelfth Report - Cancer services
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 … Read more
Government Response
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.
Department of Health and Social Care
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14 Recommendation Acknowledged
Twelfth Report - Cancer services
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 … Read more
Government Response
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 systems are required to take.
Department of Health and Social Care
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15 Conclusion Acknowledged
Twelfth Report - Cancer services
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, … Read more
Government Response
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.
Department of Health and Social Care
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25 Recommendation Acknowledged
Twelfth Report - Cancer services
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
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.
Department of Health and Social Care
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Government Response AI assessment · 30 of 15 classified
Accepted 17
Accepted in Part 1
Acknowledged 8
Deferred 4
Total 15 recs + 15 conclusions
Correspondence 3 letters
29 Mar 2022 Corresondence from the National Cancer Director on the Cancer services inquiry
Parliament page
25 Jan 2022 To committee Letter from the National Cancer Director and National Clinical Director on Cancer services dated 17.01.22
Parliament page
19 Oct 2021 To committee Letter from Jeanette Dickson providing further information requested by the Committee on Cancer services dated 28.09.21
Parliament page