§ Mr. SutcliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will issue guidance to national health service authorities covering minimum standards in purchasing cancer and palliative care;
(2) what plans she has to cope with the estimated increase of people living with cancer within the next 20 years;
(3) what plans she has to issue minimum standards covering the provision of cancer care services.
§ Mr. SackvilleLast year, the chief medical officers of England and Wales established an expert advisory group on cancer to consider the provision of cancer services. The EAGC has already published a consultative report "A Policy Framework for Commissioning Cancer Services" on the organisation of cancer services, copies of which are available in the Library. A number of current initiatives are producing guidelines with the aim of improving standards and quality of care including cancer and palliative care.