Government announces cancer reform strategy board

The Department of Health has announced the identity of the board members who will advise the government on the development of a cancer reform strategy, with members drawn from major charities, social care organisations, NHS clinicians and cancer patients.

Following the government’s publication of the first cancer plan in 2000, it states that the cancer reform strategy will aim to recognise new challenges and opportunities relating to the disease.

These changes include an increased number of people living with cancer, improvements in treatments of the disease and increased expectations from the general public.

Six working groups of experts will be set up to develop the strategy, with investigations into improving the experience of cancer patients, attaining value for money for the NHS and increasing public awareness of the symptoms and risk factors associated with cancer.

Rosie Winterton, health minister, said: “I would like to thank everyone who is working on this strategy, especially representatives of major charities and patients.”

She added that the board would form a strategy to develop a high quality of cancer services over the next five years.

In December 2006, Mike Richards, national cancer director in the government, noted that the focus of the strategy would be reform, rather than spending commitments.