John Baron MP welcomes NHS emphasis on earlier diagnosis

MP says new Outcomes Indicator Set is good news for cancer patients

NHS England recently published the Outcomes Indicator Set (OIS) for 2014/2015. The OIS sets the priorities for Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), which are responsible for NHS services at the local level.

Last year, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer (APPGC), of which John Baron MP is Chairman, recommended to NICE that the 2014/2015 OIS contain proxy measures to aid with earlier diagnosis – cancer’s ‘magic key’. These proxy measures – the stage of cancer at diagnosis and whether the cancer was diagnosed as an emergency – will compliment the one- and five-year survival rate measures already in the OIS.

Taken together, they will shine a light on how well each CCG performs at diagnosing cancer early – this is important because the earlier a cancer is detected, the more successfully it can be treated, and the better the survival rates. NICE accepted the APPGC’s recommendations, and in turn recommended their inclusion to NHS England.

John said,

“It is excellent news that NHS England has accepted the recommendations of the APPGC and NICE. These proxy measures should make a real difference to cancer patients, as CCGs with poor results will be compelled to raise their game by introducing initiatives promoting earlier diagnosis. The APPGC will closely monitor their implementation.”