Improving outcomes in cancer care

Early diagnosis and treatment are critical in extending the lives of those living with cancer and improving their quality of life.

However, a number of national performance standards around diagnosis and waiting times for cancer care have not been met for several years. The Covid-19 pandemic has further highlighted the need to ensure that cancer programmes are not disrupted in the future, as the system seeks to recover from the impact of the pandemic.

The government is planning to publish a new Major Conditions Strategy, which encompasses elements of the previously planned dedicated cancer plan, aimed at developing aimed at developing a co-ordinated approach across major conditions and diseases, including cancer. Against this backdrop, this panel discussion brought together senior leaders from the cancer community to discuss:

putting patients’ experiences of cancer treatment at the centre of pathway design and priority areas for improvement
strategies to ensure that the system – already dealing with pressures on workforce, capacity and an intimidating backlog – is equipped to deliver high quality cancer care going forward
how to improve the link between early diagnosis and early treatment, and address inequalities in provision and access.

This event was sponsored and funded by MSD.

Sponsorship and exhibition

This event is sponsored and funded by MSD. If you’d like a conversation about your business goals, and how being involved in this event can help you, please email partnerships@kingsfund.org.uk.

Speakers

David Long

Business Unit Director - Oncology, MSD

Dame Cally Palmer CBE

Chief Executive, The Royal Marsden and National Cancer Director, NHS England

Ruth Robertson

Senior Fellow, The King’s Fund

Dr Ian Walker

Executive Director of Policy, Information and Communications, Cancer Research UK

Professor Samreen Ahmed

Consultant Medical Oncologist Training Programme Director, University Hospitals of Leicester

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