Progress on cancer services ’inadequate’, finds panel led by UCL academic

Dame Jane Dacre - An expert panel, Chaired by UCL's Professor Dame Jane Dacre, has concluded the UK Government's overall progress to achieve its five key commitments on cancer services is 'inadequate'. Set up by the cross-party Health and Social Care Committee, the independent panel has piloted a new evaluation system, giving Care Quality Commission-style ratings on the government's performance in meeting policy commitments on cancer services in England. The objective evaluation is designed to enhance the select Committee's core task of holding the government and ministers to account. This is the independent Expert Panel's third evaluation*, and the first time it has given an overall rating of 'inadequate' to Government commitments. Published today, the Panel's report, ' Evaluation of the Government's commitments in the area of cancer services in England' examined five key commitments across a range of policy areas: workforce; diagnostics; living well with and beyond cancer; and technology and innovation. The Expert Panel acknowledges that while some progress has been made in areas such as investment in diagnostics and innovative technologies and treatments, the lack of adequate long-term planning for, and investment in, the cancer workforce undermined progress made and justified the inadequate rating. Dame Jane, Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee's Expert Panel, and Professor of Medical Education at UCL, said: "It is clear that cancer services are facing overwhelming pressure.