§ Mr. LoveTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he has taken to implement the recommendations of the Calman report on the provision 207W of cancer services in the NHS (a) nationally and (b) in the North Thames region; and if he will make a statement. [38377]
§ Mr. BoatengWe remain committed to improving cancer care, and achievement of the cancer targets withinThe New NHS and Our Healthier Nation will be set firmly within the ongoing implementation of the Calman/Hine recommendations. Nationally, a great deal of work has already been undertaken to agree the provision and standard of cancer services at each individual potential cancer centre or cancer unit. To support the implementation, commissioning guidance is being produced on the commoner cancers to help health authorities, hospitals, primary care and community services focus on areas most likely to make a difference to the outcomes of treatment. The first guidance document "Improving Outcomes in Breast Cancer" was published in July 1996. The second "Improving Outcomes in Colorectal Cancer" was published on 24 November 1997. Guidance on lung cancer and the gynaecological cancers is planned for 1998–99.
In the North Thames region, the majority of health authorities have focused initially on breast cancer services and have agreed standards of care for their cancer units based on the best guidance. Progress has also been made on the designation of those units that will provide services for colorectal, lung and gynaecological cancers.
Designation status for cancer centres was agreed after a process of review jointly by clusters of relevant health authorities using standards drawn from the Calman/Hine report and agreed by all the health authorities. This process resulted in five centres being designated by November 1997. The centres are located at the following trusts: the Hammersmith Hospitals, Mount Vernon and Watford, the Royal London Hospitals/Havering Hospitals (joint centre), Southend Health Care, and the University College London Hospitals/Royal Free Hampstead (joint centre). A further two aspiring centres are exploring how they could collaborate with other trusts to strengthen their position in the cancer network. All the designated centres were required to produce action plans to set out how they would address issues and service gaps identified during the designation process and these are being closely monitored by the health authorities.
The designated centres are starting work on protocols of care for each cancer. Health authorities and trusts across the Region have also developed a pan-regional audit process for breast cancer so that feedback can be given to providers on their comparative performance against key standards. A similar audit is being developed for colorectal cancer.