John Baron MP questions Minister over Cancer Survival Rates

MP seeks assurances that key levers for earlier diagnosis are utilised

During Health questions in the House of Commons today, John Baron MP raised the issue of cancer survival rates. As part of the NHS reforms, each Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) will have its one- and five-year cancer survival rates made public. This will allow an individual CCG’s performance to be measured against its peers, and so indicate which CCGs are doing well on cancer, and which need to improve. In particular, these survival rates will compel CCGs to focus on earlier diagnosis, since timely diagnosis is the key to successful cancer treatment.

The cancer survival rates were going to be published in December, but various problems with the data have pushed this back until March 2014.

John said,

“The Secretary of State is aware that the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer (APPGC) has campaigned long and hard for the monitoring of one- and five-year survival rates as a driver for cancer survival – cancer’s magic key. What assurances can she give that the March 2014 deadline will be met, and that appropriate action will be taken against underperforming CCGs”

The Minister in response acknowledged the good work undertaken by the APPGC, assured John that the NHS was on target for meeting its March 2014 deadline, and stated that she was looking forward to an ongoing dialogue with MPs given the hard work put in by all.

John said afterwards,

“Late diagnosis makes for poor survival rates. The highlighting of one- and five-year rates at a local level should encourage CCGs to introduce measures aimed at earlier diagnosis. It is encouraging that the March 2014 deadline will be kept, but we need to ensure that these figures are properly used and that underperforming CCGs are tackled – this will be the subject of future discussions.”