APPG Welcomes Government Cancer Strategy

On 3rd December 2007, the All Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer welcomed the government’s announcement of its Cancer Reform Strategy which sets out a vision for cancer services.

Dr Ian Gibson MP, chair of the group said: -

“We are particularly pleased that the strategy recognises the important need for newly licensed cancer drugs to be appraised by NICE as outlined in ‘A New Vision for Cancer’.

“We are pleased that the Government has outlined their plan for Cancer Services and that they are moving towards addressing many of the issues which we have been raising over the last few years. We will now look at the strategy in detail to identify areas which will need further attention.

It will also be important to know how the improvements outlined in the strategy will be funded and implemented.”

‘A New Vision for Cancer’ was produced by the All Party Group in 2006 and sets out the group’s priorities and policies for cancer services within the NHS. The report is available online at the group’s website at http://www.appg-cancer.org.uk/docs/anewvisionforcancer.pdf.

APPG on Cancer welcomes new Government strategy for cancer patients

The Secretary of State for Health, Patricia Hewitt, said in November that there is to be an updated government strategy for the improvement of cancer services. The announcement was made at the All Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer’s annual conference, Britain Against Cancer.

At the conference, Dr Ian Gibson MP, Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), said:

‘Earlier this year the APPG laid out its New Vision for Cancer and we are delighted that the Government has now committed to an updated national strategy. This is great news for people with cancer.

‘The original Cancer Plan, launched in 2000, led to improvements in front line cancer services. But the cancer landscape has changed dramatically since then and health inequalities still persist. We need a new, holistic vision that creates patient entitlements to standards of care covering the whole patient pathway.

‘Full consultation on the content of a new strategy is vital to its success. The All Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer looks forward to working with the Government to develop the new strategy for cancer.’