Investment in cancer services has increased over the past three years, allowing for improvements in treatment.
Substantial programmes of work tackling local awareness and early diagnosis have been undertaken including local public awareness campaigns to raise awareness of the symptoms of bowel, lung and breast cancer across the city; and a programme of improvement initiatives for GPs including audit, risk assessment tools and education events
Holding regular education events for local GP practice staff to promote early diagnosis initiatives and encourage appropriate use of protocols for 2 week wait referrals.
Since 2005-06, the cancer health promotion team has supported action to improve cancer screening rates.
The responsibility for commissioning cancer screening programmes has passed to NHS England Area team, and it will be important to ensure full engagement of NHS England in the Board’s strategic plans. However, there remains a degree of uncertainty about different agencies roles in encouraging increased screening uptake.