§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what evaluation of improvements to cancer services in the NHS he has commissioned. [133893]
§ Miss Melanie Johnson[holding answer 27 October 2003]: A National Cancer Patient Survey took place in 2001. Over 65,000 cancer patients discharged between July 1999 and June 2000 responded. The outcome of the survey was published in July 2002 and is available at: http://www.doh.gov.uk/nhspatients/cancersurvey. It provides a baseline measurement of cancer patients' 780W experience of care in the national health service against which improvements can be monitored. The results of the survey were shared with, among others, cancer networks and NHS trusts who should have studied their local results and taken action to respond to them. Responsibility for the national survey programme, and therefore repeating this survey, has now moved to the Commission for Health Improvement.
A Manual of Cancer Services Standards was published in February 2001 against which cancer networks in England can assess the quality of services they are providing. A process of peer review took place in 2001 to assess compliance with these standards. A second round of peer review will commence in summer 2004.
The "NHS Cancer Plan—Three-year progress report: Maintaining the Momentum" available at www.doh.ov.uk/cancer/progressreport2003 was published on 28 October 2003. It describes overall progress on implementation of the NHS Cancer Plan.