i can issue 1

Confident of success

Professor Mike Richards CBE

Cancer has a major impact in the UK; costing us the lives of one in four of those who develop it. Sadly, cancer services have been underfunded for decades. As a result, we have not enjoyed the facilities and trained staff we would ideally like to see; and there have been unacceptable delays in diagnosis and starting treatment. Comparatively, this has put us below the European average for survival; and has led to inequalities in the levels of support and expertise available across the UK.

The government, however, is committed to improving cancer services. In September 2000, it published The NHS Cancer Plan because it felt that improvements in cancer services must be accelerated and inequalities in service delivery eradicated. The NHS Cancer Plan has four key aims: to save lives; improve patients' experience of care; reduce inequalities and build for the future. It sets out actions to improve prevention and screening services; reduce waiting times between referral and treatment; improve treatment and palliative care services and enhance research. The government has committed substantial additional resources to expand the workforce, provide new facilities and enable patients to have cost-effective new treatments.

Over the past 18 months we have made significant progress, but we made it clear at the outset that investment and reform would take several years. Smoking is the biggest single preventable cause of death from cancer and other fatal illnesses. More than two-thirds of smokers say they would like to quit; and we now provide smoking cessation services across the country. These are already ahead of target in the number of successful quitters.

The government is extending breast screening to women aged 65–70. This will take time, as we need more radiographers, but over 40,000 women have already benefited from the extended service. We are also improving cancer services in the community. Lead clinicians for cancer have been appointed to help to raise standards of care. A nationwide palliative care education programme for district nurses is also under way.

We are tackling waiting times as fast as we can. As a first step, patients with suspected cancer are to be seen within two weeks, and this is happening in around 95% of cases. The biggest cancer equipment programme ever is currently under way. By the end of this year, we will have 50% more CT scanners, 86% more MRI scanners and 22% more radiotherapy machines than in 1997.

Cancer patients need high quality information, good communication with health professionals, emotional and practical support as well as good symptom control. Each of these areas is being tackled as part of the Supportive and Palliative Care Strategy.

There is no doubt that progress is being made. Thanks to the strenuous efforts of staff across the country, patients are already benefiting. We still have a long way to go, but I am confident of our success.

Mike Richards
National Cancer Director