Reforming cancer care

AbstractThe success of the NHS Cancer Plan has been driven by the injection of a huge amount of cash over the last seven years into a classical public sector model. Although there have been very significant improvements, these have been overshadowed by increasing demand and technological advances. Bowing to pressure from a consortium of cancer charities, the government has now launched the Cancer Reform Strategy. Little more development money is available and yet tremendous challenges lie ahead. It is clear that, although the UK spends more per capita on cancer care than most of western Europe, all of its service metrics — waiting times, access to diagnostics, radiotherapy and chemotherapy — are poorer. Consumers of cancer care are becoming far more informed and sophisticated in their choices. The next three years will be critical to the evolution of both the NHS and its cancer services. The key issues will be maintaining equity in choice and access both geographically and between socioeconomic groups, as...