John Baron MP presses Health Secretary over one year cancer survival indicator

MP highlights importance of early diagnosis

Yesterday afternoon during Health Questions in the House of Commons, John Baron MP questioned the Right Honourable Andrew Lansley MP, Secretary of State for Health, about the importance of introducing a one year survival indicator. UK cancer survival rates are behind those of Europe and a key reason is because the UK is slow when it comes to diagnosis – this being one of the findings of the recent report of the All Party Parliamentary Group [APPG] on Cancer, of which John is Chairman.

John said:

“The APPG on Cancer’s Inquiry into cancer inequalities heard expert evidence suggesting that if people survive cancer for one year, their chance of getting to five years is almost identical to the rest of Europe. Does the Secretary of State therefore agree that the formation of a one year survival indicator is crucial in both encouraging early diagnosis and helping the UK match the best European survival rates?”

The Secretary of State suggested that this was an important point and indicated that such an indicator would be included in a package of outcome measures which the Government will shortly introduce.

John said afterwards:

“Early diagnosis is key to raising cancer survival rates. All the evidence confirms this. We must therefore introduce a measure focused on one year survival rates. Such a measure will force PCTs to raise their game, to improve patient outcomes, without being dictated to by politicians.”

“This measure will help to focus attention on how successful the NHS is in treating its patients, rather than the present system of tick-box targets which simply measure how quickly patients are seen.”

Ends
Word Count: 285
Date: 30th June 2010

Notes to Editors

The All Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer’s report is available at http://www.macmillan.org.uk/GetInvolved/APPG/ReportsAndEvents/InquiryIntoInequalityReport2009.aspx