§ Mr. LoveTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on the implementation of the Calman/Hine report on the organisation and delivery of cancer services in the North London region; and if he will make a statement. [65063]
§ Mr. HuttonIn that part of the London Region which was formerly within 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 guidance "Improving Outcomes in Breast Cancer" published in July 1996. Progress has also been made on the designation of those units that will provide services for colorectal, lung and gynaecological cancers. Work is planned within the new London Region to harmonise the standards and processes adopted by the different health authorities and to jointly agree future milestones for the designation process. Also provisionally designated centres are continuing to develop protocols of care for each cancer.
The network of care and centre unit links in London are complex, particularly north of the Thames. Further work will be carried out jointly by the new London Regional Office, health authorities, centres and units to clarify these networks, and to ensure that the protocols of care and centre unit links are developed properly.