Health written question – answered at on 21 March 2011.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent steps his Department has taken to improve the provision of (a) cancer services and (b) mental health services in the West Midlands.
'Improving Outcomes-A Strategy for Cancer', published on
The strategy sets out actions to tackle preventable cancer incidence, improve the quality and efficiency of cancer services; improve patients' experience of care; improve quality of life for cancer survivors; and deliver outcomes that are comparable with the best in Europe.
The impact assessment published alongside the strategy shows how we can save an additional 5,000 lives every year by 2014-15 through early diagnosis and improved access to screening and radiotherapy.
To support the national health service to achieve earlier diagnosis of cancer alongside efficiency savings, the strategy is backed by over £450 million investment over the spending review period. The earlier diagnosis money will:
give general practitioners (GPs) increased access to key diagnostic tests; allow for the increased testing and treatment costs in secondary care associated with more people being diagnosed; support campaigns aimed at raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer and getting symptomatic patients to present earlier; and support GPs to diagnose cancer earlier, including support on when to commission and how to interpret diagnostic tests.
This funding is part of over £750 million additional funding for cancer over the spending review period to support delivery of 'Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer'. This includes funding for screening (flexible sigmoidoscopy) and radiotherapy (proton beam therapy) announced earlier in the autumn.
The Department published the national 'No Health Without Mental Health' strategy on
Although a national strategy, it illustrates how local health organisations could make real improvements in quality of life for people with mental health problems.
The Department's work with partners, including the Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, has made it clear that the context for this strategy is one of great financial pressure; so it has focused on priority areas of improvement while leaving plans and actions to local decision making. So this strategy should inform local planning, but not constrain it.
The approach to quality and outcomes is about shifting responsibility to the local level; there are no national performance management and no targets. Our focus will be on ensuring local areas have access to information that supports their individual approaches and enables individuals, neighbourhoods and communities to make appropriate change happen in a reformed system. This is not about central Government enacting change from the centre.
The Government expect clinicians in all areas to follow the guidance in both documents.
Yes1 person thinks so
No1 person thinks not
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