§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 18 June 2002,Official Report, column 229W, on cancer, what the average time has been over the last three years that cancer patients have waited from an urgent referral to the start of the treatment; and if he will make a statement. [70386]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 22 July 2002]The information requested is not available. We are putting in place monitoring arrangements to track the percentage of patients waiting less than two months from urgent general practitioner (GP) referral to treatment for all cancers by 2005. Date is currently available on the percentage of patients waiting.
Less than two weeks from urgent GP referral for suspected cancer to first outpatient appointment, 93.8 per cent of patients were within two weeks in 2001, and 95.3 per cent so far in 2002.Less than one month from urgent GP referral to first treatment for children's and testicular cancers and acute leukaemia, 99 per cent patients with acute leukaemia, 93.5 per cent with testicular cancer and 100 per cent of children with cancer were treated with the target time so far in 2002.Less than one month from diagnosis to first treatment for breast cancer 94.4 per cent of patients were treated within the target time so far in 2002.
Dr. HarrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 1 July 2002,Official Report, column 152W, on the NHS Cancer Plan, if he will list the members of the working group; if he will publish the recommendations of the group; and what the evidential basis was for the group's recommendations. [67772]
§ Ms BlearsThe membership was
Dr. Graham Winyard—NHS Executive: Medical Director ChairmanDr. Val Chisty—Assistant Director of Public Health: West Midlands Regional Office, Department of HealthDr. Ruth Carnall—Chief Executive: West Kent AuthorityMiss Barbara Dicks—Chair of the RCN Cancer Nursing Society: Royal Marsden HospitalMr. Len Fenwick—Chief Executive: Freeman Group of Hospitals NHS TrustDr. Howard Freeman—General Practitioner: LondonDr. Clive Harner—Consultant Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology: Royal Marsden HospitalProfessor Bob Haward—Professor of Cancer Studies: University of LeedsDr. Arthur Hibble—Chairman: RCGP Cancer GroupProfessor David J Kerr—Professor of Clinical Oncology: University of BirminghamMr. David Kirby—Patient Representative518WDr. Azim Lakhani—Central Health Outcomes Unit: Public Health DivisionMr. David Lye—Director of Purchaser Performance Management: West Midlands Regional Office, Department of HealthMr. Colin Mcllwain—Waiting Times: National Health Service ExecutiveMs. Jane McKessack—General Health Services: National Health Service ExecutiveDr. Rajan Madhok—Director of Public Health: Gateshead and South Tynesdie Health AuthorityMrs. Becky Miles—National Cancer AllianceMrs. Jackie Murray—Regional Cancer Co-odinator: Northern and Yorkshire Regional Office, Department of HealthMr. Graeme Poston—Directorate of General Surgery: Royal Liverpool University HospitalDr. Tim Riley—Head of Outcomes and Effectiveness—National Health Service ExecutiveDr. David Rosin—Consultant Surgeon: St Mary's NHS TrustMr. J H Shepherd—Consultant Gynaecological Surgeon and Oncologist: St Bartholomew's HospitalMrs. Gill Oliver—Director of Patient Services: Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology NHS TrustProfessor Mike Richards—Sainsbury Professor of Palliative Medicine: St Thomas' HospitalProfessor Irving Taylor—BASO President: University College London Medical SchoolA copy of the group's report has been placed in the Library.