John Baron MP chairs ‘Britain Against Cancer’ 2011

Secretary of State for Health focuses on the importance of outcomes

Yesterday the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer (APPGC) held its annual ‘Britain Against Cancer’ conference in Central Hall, Westminster. ‘Britain Against Cancer’ is a major event in the cancer calendar, bringing together senior policymakers, cancer professionals and charities. In all, around 400 delegates attended. John Baron MP, as Chairman of the APPGC, spoke at the opening of the conference and chaired the event, including several breakout sessions. This year conference attendees were particularly focusing on how the changing commissioning structures will affect cancer care across the UK.

The Secretary of State for Health, the Rt Hon Andrew Lansley MP, gave the keynote address at the close of the conference. He announced that the Government will be investing in Proton Beam therapy, a more precise form of radiotherapy which is particularly suitable for children. However, his main focus was on the importance of the new NHS Outcomes Framework, and how it will transform quality of care and improve survival rates.

During the conference, John said,

“The Government is right to set a target of saving 5,000 additional cancer patient lives by 2014. This would then bring us up to the European average. But to achieve this, we need the NHS to instigate much earlier diagnosis of cancers. The earlier cancer is detected, the greater the chance of survival.”

“This is why the focus on outcomes is so important. By putting the spotlight on one-year survival rates and stage at which cancer is detected, the local NHS will be forced to raise its game and detect cancers earlier.”

“This new focus on outcomes should do more than any other measure to improve cancer treatment and care for patients.”