| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
1 Sep 2008 : Column 1657W—continued
Management of elective oncology/haematology
Management of emergency in-patient treatment for patients with a cancer diagnosis; and
Management of emergency in-patient treatment for patients who are subsequently diagnosed with cancer.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of NHS trusts submit data to cancer registries in an electronic format; and what steps he is taking to ensure that all NHS Trusts do so by 2009, as referred to in paragraph 8.16 of his Department’s Cancer Reform Strategy, published on 3 December 2007. [220975]
Ann Keen: All trusts are providing some data to cancer registries in an electronic format. However, few trusts are currently submitting their entire registry dataset in an electronic format.
The Cancer Reform Strategy’s estimated date of 2009 for trusts to provide data in an electronic format has been affected by wider delays in the national programme for information technology. As a result of these delays, the National Contract for Acute Services now requires all trusts to provide data in an electronic format by March 2011. The Clinical Outcomes Programme Manager at the National Cancer Intelligence Network is currently leading on this work with the cancer registries, cancer networks and NHS trusts.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the first annual report of the National Cancer Intelligence Network to be published. [220977]
Ann Keen: The first annual report of the National Cancer Intelligence Network is scheduled for publication in spring 2009.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to publish the guide for cancer commissioners referred to in paragraph 9.9 of his Department’s Cancer Reform Strategy; and if he will make a statement. [220978]
Ann Keen: The guidance on commissioning cancer services is currently in development and publication is expected during autumn 2008. The guidance will set out the appropriate level for the commissioning of different cancer services and identify key questions a commissioner should ask when assessing the quality of a service.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to paragraph 9.9 of his Department's Cancer Reform Strategy, what progress is being made in developing (a) an electronic commissioning toolkit for cancer services and (b) service specifications for each cancer pathway; and when he expects to make each available for use in the NHS. [220979]
Ann Keen: A demonstration version of the electronic commissioning toolkit was launched to the NHS in June 2008. Following further development a final version of the toolkit is expected to be launched to the national health service during autumn 2008.
Service specifications for each cancer pathway are still in development. A model generic services specification for colorectal cancer has been shared with cancer networks and a model colorectal pathway placed on the Map of Medicine. Cancer networks are each leading on the development of a service specification/model pathway for different tumours. This work is being facilitated by the National Cancer Action Team who are ensuring appropriate guidance around the sign off of the model pathways with Map of Medicine.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to ask the Care Quality Commission to undertake an improvement review of cancer services in 2009, as referred to in paragraph 9.25 of his Department's Cancer Reform Strategy. [220980]
Ann Keen: We are working with the Healthcare Commission on assessing whether cancer services are delivering the Improving Outcomes Guidance. We will in due course work with the Care Quality Commission and this might involve asking it to undertake an improvement review.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health before which financial year he expects to include implementation of the Improving Outcomes Guidance in the national model contract, as referred to in paragraph 9.25 of his Department's Cancer Reform Strategy. [220981]
Ann Keen: The details have still to be agreed but the plan is to make appropriate changes to the standard contract from April 2009.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate for benchmarking purposes he has made of the level of spending on English cancer services compared with the spending of other countries. [220982]
Ann Keen: As part of our work on the Cancer Reform Strategy we looked at the latest information published by other countries about their expenditure on cancer services.
This published information showed that England spends 5.6 per cent. of its public healthcare budget on cancer, compared to 7.7 per cent. in France, 9.2 per cent. in the United States and 9.6 per cent. in Germany.
As stated in the Cancer Reform Strategy, we will continue to monitor how spending on spending on English cancer services compares with other countries.
The Department regularly publishes information on cancer spend in the national health service in England through programme budgeting figures. Programme budgeting figures provide a breakdown by programmes of how NHS resources have been spent.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in developing a kitemark for good cancer facilities, as referred to in paragraph 11.18 of his Department's Cancer Reform Strategy; and when he expects it to be made available for use in the NHS. [220983]
Ann Keen: Following discussions with key stakeholders, it is anticipated that the kitemark for good cancer facilities will be made available by spring 2010.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects publication of the National Cancer Research Institute’s five-year plan to take place, as referred to in paragraph 11.25 of his Department’s Cancer Reform Strategy. [220984]
Ann Keen: The National Cancer Research Institute’s Strategic Plan 2008-13 was published on 28 April 2008 and is available on the Institute’s website at:
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has established a pilot training programme for laparoscopic surgery, as referred in paragraph 4.20 of his Department's Cancer Reform Strategy; and when he anticipates a training programme to be implemented nationwide. [220985]
Ann Keen: The pilot training programme for laparoscopic colorectal cancer was set up, following a tender exercise, by the national Cancer Action Team in January 2008. 10 training centres have been appointed, together with a national coordination centre, as follows:
Hull and East Yorkshire NHS Trust (Training Centre and National Coordination Centre);
Newcastle-upon-Tyne NHS Trust;
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust;
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust;
North West London Hospitals NHS Trust;
King's College Hospital And Guy's and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trusts;
Oxford Radcliffe NHS Trust;
The Pelican centre and Basingstoke and North Hampshire Foundation Trust;
Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust; and
The South West Laparoscopic Consortium (Bristol, Yeovil and Plymouth).
Imperial College London has been appointed to develop the underpinning educational and assessment materials.
The pilot is due to run for a period of 18 months with an evaluation being carried out towards the end of the project.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information has been submitted to his Department by the NHS Cancer Action Team in each month since 3 December 2007. [220986]
Ann Keen: A list of the information received from the National Cancer Action Team (NCAT) is not held centrally.
The NCAT supports delivery of the Cancer Reform Strategy and it is in regular communication with the Department. Information that it provides to the Department includes:
updates/progress reports on the areas of work it leads on;
draft and final copies of guidance, reports and other documents it produces for the NHS
feedback from cancer networks that might be of interest to the Department;
general advice on implementation strategies and ad hoc queries; and
information to contribute to parliamentary and ministerial business.
Cancer: Medical Treatments
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cancer treatments (a) have and (b) have not been considered by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence through the single technology appraisal process since 3 December 2007; and if he will make a statement. [220956]
Ann Keen: Since 3 December 2007, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published guidance on the cancer treatments shown in the table. Information on cancer treatments not considered by NICE is not available.
| Treatment | Condition | Process | Publication date |
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) new cancer treatments and (b) significant new licensed indications for existing cancer treatments have been referred to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) since 3 December 2007; and whether NICE (i) has and (ii) has not initiated a technology appraisal for each. [220957]
Ann Keen: The 15(th) National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) work programme was referred to NICE on 14 December 2007 and included the following six cancer technology appraisals:
lenalidomide in combination with dexamethasone for the treatment of multiple myeloma in people who have received at least one prior therapy;
lapatinib in combination with letrozole for the first-line treatment of metastatic hormone-sensitive breast cancer;
capecitabine for the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer;
cetuximab for the first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer;
cetuximab for the treatment of advanced non small cell lung cancer; and
ixabepilone for the treatment of metastatic or locally advanced breast cancer.
The 16(th) work programme was referred to NICE on 20 March 2008 and included the following five cancer technology appraisals:
cetuximab in combination with irinotecan-containing regimens for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer following failure of oxaliplatin-containing chemotherapy;
cetuximab in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy for metastatic and/or recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck;
intensity modulated radiotherapy for the treatment of head and neck cancer;
intensity modulated radiotherapy for the treatment of breast cancer; and
intensity modulated radiotherapy for the treatment of prostate cancer.
The 17(th) work programme was referred to NICE on 11 June 2008 and included the following eight cancer technology appraisals:
sorafenib, within its licensed indication for the first line systemic treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma;
eltrombopag within its licensed indication for the treatment of refractory chronic idiopathic (immune) thrombocytopenic purpura;
romiplostim within its licensed indication for the treatment of refractory chronic idiopathic (immune) thrombocytopenic purpura;
mifamurtide within its licensed indications as an adjunct to multi-agent chemotherapy for the treatment of osteosarcoma;
temozolomide within its licensed indication for advanced and metastatic melanoma;
dasatinib within its licensed indication for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia;
topotecan within its licensed indication for the second-line treatment of small cell lung cancer; and
dasatinib and nilotinib within their licensed indications for imatinib-resistant chronic myeloid leukaemia.
We are minded to refer the following nine cancer technology appraisals to NICE as part of the 18(th) work programme. NICE were asked on 20 March 2008 to consult stakeholders on the remits and scopes for these topics, and the results of that consultation are currently being considered.
bortezomib within its licensed indication for the first line treatment of multiple myeloma;
sunitinib within its licensed indication for the treatment of unresectable and/or metastatic malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumours refractory to imatinib;
topotecan within its licensed indication for the treatment of recurrent and carcinoma of the cervix;
trabectedin within its licensed indication for the treatment of advanced metastatic soft tissue sarcoma;
pemetrexed within its licensed indication for the first line treatment of locally advanced or metastatic non small cell lung cancer;
rituximab within its licensed indication for the first line treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia;
rituximab within its licensed indication for the relapsed treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia;
azacitidine within its licensed indication for the treatment of high risk patients with myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukaemia; and
capecitabine within its licensed indication for advanced gastric cancer.
We have recently agreed revisions to the topic selection process to implement the Cancer Reform Strategy (CRS) commitments and NICE’s 19 work programme will be the first to be referred to NICE under the revised arrangements. NICE is currently consulting on the remit and scope for the following 13 cancer treatments as part of the 19(th) work programme, following which Ministers will be asked to make a final decision on referral of these topics to NICE.
vorinostat for cutanieous T-cell lymphoma;
bevacizumab in combination with fluouropyrimidine for metastatic carcinoma of the colon and rectum;
sunitinib for metastatic breast cancer;
aflibercept for advanced chemo-refractory epithelial ovarian cancer;
arsenic trioxide for promyelocytic leukaemia;
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |