Cancer Reform Strategy - NHS Cancer Screening Programmes

CHAPTER 1: THE CHALLENGE OF CANCER 27Box 4: Cancer Research UK 2020 GoalsCancer Research UK has developed ten goals to measure success over the coming years inbeating cancer. Cancer Research UK will work with partners to achieve the following by 2020:1. People will know how to reduce their risk of cancer – Three quarters of the UK publicwill be aware of the main lifestyle choices they can make to reduce their risk of gettingcancer;2. The number of smokers will fall dramatically – Four million fewer adults will besmokers, preventing thousands of new cases of cancer every year;3. People under 75 will be less likely to get cancer – The chances of a person developingcancer up to the age of 75 will fall from more than one in four to one in five;4. Cancer will be diagnosed earlier – Two-thirds of all cancer cases will be diagnosed at astage when the cancer can be successfully treated;5. We will understand how cancer starts and develops – We will have a detailedunderstanding of the causes and changes in the body in two-thirds of all cases of cancer;6. There will be better treatments with fewer side effects – Treatments that accuratelytarget the cancer and have few serious side effects will be available for at least half of allpatients;7. More people will survive cancer – Survival rates for all common cancers will increase,with more than two-thirds of newly-diagnosed patients living for at least five years;8. We will especially tackle cancer in low income communities – The differences in therisk of dying from cancer between the most affluent and the least affluent will be reducedby half;9. People with cancer will get the information they need – At least nine out of tenpatients will be able to access the information they need at the time of diagnosis and duringtreatment; and10. We will continue to fight cancer beyond 2020 – Sufficient scientists, doctors, nurses andinfrastructure will be in place to ensure continued rapid progress in the fight against cancerbeyond 2020.●●●Following record increases in investment inthe NHS, the rate of growth in spending isset to slow to a four percent real increase peryear, taking total expenditure on the NHS to£110 billion by 2010/11;There is a greater focus on delivering valuefor money through improving efficiencywithin the service and from new deliverymodels; andCancer has a higher public profile than everbefore and the improvements in cancer carehave rightly raised patient expectations stillfurther.1.25 The initial priority for cancer services in theNHS Cancer Plan was to increase capacitythrough investment in the workforce and infacilities. The first stages of reform were alsointroduced, driven in part through nationaltargets and commitments, for example onwaiting times and through centrally managedbudgets, such as for capital equipmentprogrammes and for specialist palliative care.1.26 National direction has come from:●Publishing the NHS Cancer Plan, the firstnational comprehensive plan for cancer,setting out the strategic direction for cancerservices across the country;