Today I attended an event held by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer and Macmillan Cancer Support. The event was held in order to launch the APPGC’s Inquiry into inequalities in cancer. The comprehensive report, which reviewed evidence from patients, clinicians, researchers, cancer charities, Primary Care Trusts and voluntary organisations found clear evidence of unacceptable inequalities in both the experiences and outcomes of cancer patients.
It seems unthinkable that today in the UK the amount and quality of care cancer sufferers get can often depend on who you are and where you live. I believe that every cancer patient should have access to high quality care and treatment no matter what their circumstances may be.
The report sets out eight priorities for action which include:
• Setting a new indicator for one year survival rates for all. This would
encourage the NHS to raise levels of awareness of the early symptoms of
cancer as well as promote early presentation and diagnosis and speed up the
early referral system.
• Collecting more data on patients in order to enable Primary Care Trusts and
cancer networks to undertake a thorough assessment of the needs of their local
populations, and
• Promote further research into the causes of inequalities in cancer.
If you would like to read the report please visit
here

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