Cancer: Medical Treatments
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the 2024/25 priorities and operational guidance, updated on 24 April 2024, what steps she is taking to hold NHS England accountable for implementing regular demand and capacity assessments of Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy (SACT) services.
Answered by Karin Smyth
The Department continues to support the National Health Service in England to increase cancer treatment capacity. NHS England had previously established a task-and-finish group to gather, collate, and compile available information to establish Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy (SACT) delivery capacity, and to generate recommendations for the short, medium, and longer term to alleviate identified pressures on service delivery.
Recommendations have been shared with local systems and, working with Cancer Alliances, they are considering how to progress those that will best support the needs of their local populations. In support of this work, each Cancer Alliance should have a nominated lead for overseeing and supporting demand and capacity of SACT across its footprint, including the completion of a bi-annual evaluation of demand and capacity of SACT services, and should escalate any issues to the relevant integrated care board for resolution.
Additionally, with support from Cancer Alliances, cancer pathway improvement work will focus on maximising the productivity of cancer diagnostic and treatment pathways by regularly assessing supply and demand for systemic anti-cancer therapy services.
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