By Lucy Phillips
18 November 2010
NHS cancer care in England is getting better but there is still wide variation in service across the country, according to auditors.
A report published today by the National Audit Office found that improvements and efficiencies had been made in key areas of NHS cancer care since a national Cancer Reform Strategy was issued in 2007. These included reduced waiting times and reductions in the number of days cancer patients spent in hospital.
But the performances of primary care trusts varied significantly, leaving scope to save hundreds of millions of pounds each year. Cancer care is estimated to have cost the NHS £6.3bn in 2008-9.
A lack of reliable information on costs and outcomes of cancer care is also holding back further improvements. Spending on care ranged from £55 to £154 per head across PCTs and there was unexplained variation from year to year.
NAO head Amyas Morse said: ‘The Department of Health’s strong direction and high-profile leadership has resulted in improved cancer services in key areas. Further improvement depends, to a significant degree, on raising standards of practice around the country up to the best. A key factor in driving this is a much improved approach to information on cancer services.’
The report, Delivering the cancer reform strategy, says that efficiencies of £113m a year could be achieved by reducing the average length of stay in hospital to the level of the best performing PCTs. It also advocates better use of radiotherapy machines to help the health service meet increasing demand for cancer care.
The NHS Confederation said health service organisations had responded well to the national strategy, leading to improved cancer survival rates, more efficient use of resources and shorter waiting times for diagnosis.
But David Stout, director of the organisation’s PCT network, warned: ‘PCTs have often been hampered in achieving good value for money by inconsistent national data sets, the quality of coding, and cumbersome payment systems. It is vital that these national problems are recognised by the DoH. The government needs to understand and act on what is holding back local organisations.'
