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Work in Progress: Progress in Delivering the Cancer Reform Strategy

Study Outline

Each year around 230,000 people in England are diagnosed with cancer and around 125,000 will die from it. More than 1 in 3 people will develop cancer during their lifetime, and it causes 1 in 4 of all deaths in the UK. Cancer services are the third largest area of expenditure by the Department of Health, with almost £5 billion spent in England in 2007-08 (over 5 per cent of NHS expenditure).

Cancer has been a priority for the Government since publication of its NHS Cancer Plan in 2000. In 2007 the Department of Health published its five year Cancer Reform Strategy to build on the progress of the Cancer Plan, with a programme of action to improve services.

This study will examine the mechanisms to deliver the Strategy, including: use of information to improve quality and choice; stronger commissioning, and more efficient use of funding. It will assess their cost effectiveness in improving services, the scope for efficiency improvements, and where risks to value for money lie.

Publication Schedule

We aim to publish this study in late 2010.

Members of the NAO Team

Director: Karen Taylor

Audit Manager: Chris Groom

Study lead: Philippa Dixon

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Media contacts: Sarah Farndale, Press Office
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