Better Cancer Care, an action plan

Cancer Policy

Better Cancer Care (BCC) was published in October 2008. It set out how effective service and workforce planning will be supported through Managed Clinical Networks (MCNs), regional and national audit, and effective information systems. The aim of cancer networks (of which there are 3 in Scotland) is to clarify and support the development of patient pathways across regional NHS Board areas when the service cannot be provided in one Board area alone. They are focused on the development of common protocols, training and audit.

BCC sets a target that by 2010 all of Scotland's tumour-specific networks will take part in national audit that will enable an ongoing programme of improvements to clinical practice, based on national indicators which allow benchmarking against other countries' approaches.

The Scottish Cancer Taskforce is charged with overseeing implementation of Better Cancer Care including defining a rolling audit programme and a framework for audit governance.

Cancer Standards

Quality Improvement Scotland (QIS) of which SIGN (the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network) is a constituent part is responsible for developing Cancer Standards. QIS publishes core cancer standards that cover referral, waiting time targets, assessment, care planning and delivery, and communications. It also published site specific standards for bowel, breast, lung and ovarian cancer drawing on the latest available evidence from across the UK, including recommendations for the external peer review process.

Peer Review

QIS is responsible for organising PR in Scotland where cancer standards have been published.

Cancer Waiting Time Targets

In 2005 a target for a maximum wait from urgent referral to treatment of all cancer of 62 days was introduced. Funding was made available in April 2009 to extend the 62-day urgent referral to treatment target to include screened positive patients and all patients referred urgently with a suspicion of cancer (to be delivered by 2011).

Better Cancer Care introduced a new 31-day target for cancer patients covering the period from the decision to treat to the start of treatment.