Cancer Reform Strategy - NHS Cancer Screening Programmes

124Chapter 11:Building for the futureChapter Summary●●●●The cancer environment continues to change rapidly. Delivering world class cancer serviceswill require effective planning;The NHS will need a skilled and flexible workforce, appropriate cancer facilities, goodhorizon scanning , high quality research and clear national leadership if it is to meet thecancer challenges of the future;The National Cancer Director will deliver annual reports on progress as this strategy isdelivered; andWe will also work with other countries to compare progress, share ideas and spread goodpractice.Introduction11.1 Cancer services have changed dramaticallyover the last ten years and the indications arethat they will continue to do so over the nextdecade:●●●Appropriate facilities;Good horizon-scanning;High quality cancer research; and●●The number of new cases of cancer is set tocontinue to rise, largely reflectingdemographic changes within society;More people will survive cancer or live forlong periods on active treatment; and●Clear national leadership, support andoversight.A skilled and flexible workforce11.3 The cancer workforce is extremely diverseand will remain so:●Our knowledge of how to prevent, diagnoseand treat cancer will continue to expand.11.2 Given the changing cancer environment,we will need to continue to reassess theprogress made in tackling cancer and refineour approach to reflect new developments.There will, however, be several prerequisitesto delivering world class cancer services:●A relatively small number of cliniciansdedicate the whole of their working time tocancer (such as medical oncologists, clinicaloncologists, haemato-oncologists, specialistcancer nurses and those working ononcology wards);●A skilled and flexible workforce;