Cancer Reform Strategy - NHS Cancer Screening Programmes

114 CANCER REFORM STRATEGYBox 47: World class commissioning for cancer: PCT responsibilitiesPCTs also have a number of cancer-specific commissioning responsibilities, including ensuringprogress on:●●●●●●●●●●●Using resources effectively and efficiently, especially in relation to inpatient care;Collecting and reporting public awareness and patient experience surveys and agreed clinicaldatasets;Increasing public awareness of factors associated with cancer and symptoms of the diseaseand promoting earlier presentation by patients with symptoms;Providing screening programmes in line with national guidance and with high levels ofcoverage;Reducing inappropriate delays in investigation and onward referral of new cancer patientsby GPs;Achieving waiting time standards;Enabling all patients to receive care from a properly constituted multidisciplinary team, withcomplex surgery only being undertaken by centres which are compliant with NICE guidance;Providing information and support to promote informed choice in treatment and care;Delivering safe and effective radiotherapy in accordance with the recommendations of theNational Radiotherapy Advisory Group;Ensuring the availability of safe and effective chemotherapy with new treatments beingdelivered in accordance with NICE guidance and having robust and fair processes in place formaking decisions on drugs that have not yet been appraised by NICE;Providing high quality supportive and palliative care in line with NICE guidance.PCTs can be assisted with almost all of these responsibilities by their cancer network.9.18 With cancer incidence increasing,significant increases in capacity will be required,although this may be in different forms ofservice than already exist. Commissioners shouldencourage innovative methods of delivering thisadditional capacity.User involvement9.19 Effective user involvement should have acentral role to play in improving the quality ofpatient care and delivering a patient-centredNHS. User involvement in cancer services isrelatively well developed in England throughnetwork partnership groups and other userinvolvement channels. The creation of new LocalInvolvement Networks (LINks) to better supportthe views of the local community and reflectpatient experience represents an importantopportunity to build on this.9.20 Good commissioners will want to ensurethat they have appropriate user involvementwhen making decisions about service provision.As part of this they should consider how best toassist LINks in engaging with current userinvolvement structures in cancer networks (suchas partnership forums and user involvementfacilitators). Consideration should also be givento ways of facilitating user involvement fromthose who do not join groups or attendmeetings but have valuable experience ofservices. This could be done by mail, phone ore-mail, with professional support for those withspecific needs (eg learning disabilities).9.21 The Cancer Action Team will continueto work with commissioners, throughcancer networks, to identify and spreadgood practice in relation to userinvolvement.