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Ovarian Cancer

Answer

Public Health England (PHE) has been funded by cancer charities to pilot and assess the feasibility of an ovarian cancer audit, this pilot will take place over the next two years.

Since early diagnosis increases survival outcomes, NHS England is working to diagnose cancer earlier and faster. This is particularly important for cancers like ovarian, where early diagnosis makes a huge difference in survival. We are developing new models of care and pathways that will transform services by speeding up diagnosis. This includes the commitment to roll out a new Faster Diagnosis Standard by 2020 to ensure that patients referred for an investigation with a suspicion of cancer are diagnosed or have cancer ruled out within 28 days.

NHS England has also committed more than £200 million in cancer services between 2017 and 2019, to accelerate diagnosis, improve survival and enhance quality of life.

NHS England is introducing Rapid Diagnostic and Assessment Centres which will operate as one-stop shops to reduce time-to diagnosis and time-to-first treatment. This is a real step change in the way people with unclear symptoms are identified, diagnosed and treated. General practitioners can refer patients suffering from vague symptoms.

NHS England is also delivering the largest single upgrade in National Health Service cancer treatment for the last 15 years. The £130 million radiotherapy modernisation programme is upgrading and replacing radiotherapy equipment in hospitals across England. Through this programme, patients will have access to the most modern, innovative radiotherapy techniques to create better health outcomes and improve patient experience.

The Department is also closely working with PHE to develop an approach to raise awareness of generic symptoms that can indicate a wider number of cancers, including ovarian cancer, and the need to visit the doctor promptly with these symptoms.

PHE also ran a regional pilot ovarian campaign in the North West of England from 10 February to 16 March 2014. The campaign’s key message was ‘Feeling bloated, most days, for three weeks or more could be a sign of ovarian cancer. Tell your doctor’.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

162542

Session

2017-19

Grouped for answer

Yes

Subjects

Clinical audit Ovarian cancer

Link

View this Written question on www.parliament.uk