Cancer Reform Strategy - NHS Cancer Screening Programmes

26 CANCER REFORM STRATEGYBox 2: Visions for 2012Bowel cancerBrain and central nervous system cancersBreast cancerCancer geneticsCancer screeningChildren and young people and cancerGynaecological cancersHead, neck and thyroid cancersLung cancer and mesotheliomaProstate cancerSarcomaSkin cancersUpper gastrointestinal cancersUrological (excluding prostate) cancersHaematological cancers●The Pharmaceutical Oncology IndustryPartnership has been formed to considerhow best industry should support the NHS intackling cancer; andCancer in a reformed NHS1.24 Cancer services now operate in a verydifferent environment from when the NHSCancer Plan was developed in 1999/2000:●A report on cancer was produced by a grouprepresenting independent sector providers.1.23 The Department of Health welcomes thesegoals and principles. Cancer Research UK’s 2020Goals are rightly challenging (see Box 4), but areachievable provided that further action is takennow by all partners involved in cancer. We willtherefore be informed by these goals andprinciples as we implement the Cancer ReformStrategy.●●NHS structures have changed and greaterauthority has been devolved to localorganisations, with over 90% of all NHSfunding being with PCT commissioners;Greater patient involvement is changing theway in which decisions about treatment aremade;Box 3: Cancer Campaigning Group Key Principles from ‘Getting it right for people withcancer: What the voluntary sector wants from the Cancer Reform Strategy’1. Continued national leadership is essential to tackle a disease that affects us all;2. Greater efforts should be made to prevent cancer and to raise awareness of the disease inorder to save and improve more lives and make best use of resources;3. Every person affected by cancer deserves high quality care, treatment, information andsupport, regardless of location, gender, ethnicity, age, financial status, literacy, religion,sexual orientation, disability or type of cancer;4. People with cancer and their carers should have the opportunity to be equal partners indecisions about their treatment and care;5. Cancer services should treat the person, not just the tumour, throughout the cancer journey;6. Policies should promote and support all aspects of cancer research, as the foundation forhigh quality cancer services; and7. Resources should be allocated to ensure those cancers where progress has been slower cancatch up with those where the most significant improvements have been delivered.