'Limited Resources' Could Hinder NHS Cancer Strategy

'Limited resources' could hinder NHS cancer strategy

A coalition of 40 charities has said it remains unconvinced that the NHS will be able to deliver its cancer reform strategy within the set timeframe and with the "limited resources" available.

The five year cancer reform strategy was launched by health secretary Alan Johnson last year, who pledged an investment of £370m by 2010 and proposed to speed up drug approvals and clamp down on sunbeds.

The Cancer Campaigning Group (CCG) consulted its 40 member charities and rated the strategy as seven out of 10 for overall satisfaction, although some members rated it as low as three out of 10.

It said the consultation generated a number of "significant concerns" across many areas, including access to adequate funding for all aspects of services and research, effective commissioning and delivery at local level.

Angela Dickson, spokesperson for Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust, said she was concerned that the lion's share of research funding goes into the main cancer types and the rarer cancers are left with very little.

A spokesperson for Beating Bowel Cancer added: "While it is recognised that there are problems in England over primary care trusts' cancer spend and their regional variations, as well as how our cancer drug utilisation compares poorly with international counterparts, there are no solutions proposed or targets set on how to improve the situation."

Health Insurance Magazine 27 February 2008