Cancer diagnosis 'within four weeks' under new care plan
Posted: 19 Jul 2015, 09:36Cancer diagnosis 'within four weeks' under new care plan
By Nick Triggle Health correspondent
NHS patients in England should get results for cancer tests within four weeks of being referred by a GP by 2020 under new plans to improve treatment.
NHS England's cancer taskforce is also replacing old radiotherapy machines and increasing specialist staff to ensure it delivers "world class" cancer care.
The five-year plan will cost £400m a year but experts say earlier treatment will result in similar savings.
They say the plan could help an extra 30,000 patients survive for 10 years.
While survival rates have been improving, England still lags behind some of the best performing countries.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-33574233
By Nick Triggle Health correspondent
NHS patients in England should get results for cancer tests within four weeks of being referred by a GP by 2020 under new plans to improve treatment.
NHS England's cancer taskforce is also replacing old radiotherapy machines and increasing specialist staff to ensure it delivers "world class" cancer care.
The five-year plan will cost £400m a year but experts say earlier treatment will result in similar savings.
They say the plan could help an extra 30,000 patients survive for 10 years.
While survival rates have been improving, England still lags behind some of the best performing countries.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-33574233