§ Dr. GibsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what measures he is taking to encourage patients to seek medical attention when they have suspicious symptoms which may be cancer; and if he will make a statement; [164232]
(2) what plans he has to extend the national cancer clinical audits to all major cancers; [164238]
(3) what plans he has to ensure that each general practitioner receives a copy of the updated referral guidelines for patients with suspected cancer when they are published; [164233]
(4) what plans he has to ensure that waiting times for radiotherapy are monitored at the local level using standardised national measures; [164234]
(5) what plans he has to develop a mechanism to audit the time taken for assessment and treatment of patients who are referred routinely by general practitioners and subsequently diagnosed with cancer; [164236]
(6) if the Department of Health will issue guidance to primary care trusts on the provision and role of administrative support for multi-disciplinary teams providing cancer services; [164237]
(7) if extra resources will be made available to hospitals providing radiotherapy and radiology services in order to assess local need for extra staff and facilities. [164240]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe primary purpose of the national health service cancer plan is to save more lives. Reducing waiting times is key to achieving this. The ultimate goal in the NHS Cancer Plan is to offer patients a maximum one-month wait from an urgent referral for suspected cancer to the beginning of treatment. Where patients wait longer, this should be because of the needs308W of the diagnostic process or their personal choice, not because of in-built delays in the system of care. We hope to achieve this goal by 2008. There is a series of milestones towards this goal: By 2005, there will be a maximum one-month wait from diagnosis to treatment for all cancers. By 2005, there will be a maximum two-month wait from urgent general practitioner referral to treatment for all cancers.
Progress towards these targets is being achieved through increased investment, additional staff working in new ways, installing new radiotherapy and diagnostic facilities and streamlining of cancer care pathways for all cancer patients through the cancer services collaborative 'Improvement Partnership'.
The Department will take the National Audit Office report's recommendations into account as we further develop and improve cancer services. The report will be discussed in detail at a Committee of Public Accounts hearing scheduled for 16 June 2004. Sir Nigel Crisp, chief executive of the NHS and Professor Mike Richards, national cancer director, have been called to give evidence at the hearing. The government will respond to the Committee's subsequent report in the form of a Treasury Minute.