Dying cancer patients are losing out on financial help

12 Jan 06
MPs have condemned as 'scandalous' the NHS's failure to tell three-quarters of terminally ill cancer patients that they are entitled to financial help to make their final days more comfortable.

13 January 2006

MPs have condemned as 'scandalous' the NHS's failure to tell three-quarters of terminally ill cancer patients that they are entitled to financial help to make their final days more comfortable.

The Public Accounts Committee says that while services are generally good and getting better, the NHS is still failing dying patients because they are missing out on the help that could allow them to die at home rather than in hospital.

Committee chair Edward Leigh, commenting after publication of Tackling cancer on January 12, said: 'Cancer patients are missing out on an estimated £200m a year. Not all people will wish to claim, but some, simply through lack of knowledge, will not be getting the financial support that is so important to them and their families.'

The PAC also warns that long waits for appointments with specialists are hampering the drive to improve cancer services. It says 40% of patients eventually diagnosed with cancer have to wait more than two weeks for an appointment.

By contrast, 80% of breast cancer sufferers are seen within two weeks. The committee's report says: 'This is the standard to which cancer networks should aspire for all patients.'

PFjan2006

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