We campaign on behalf of every cancer patient to ensure that they receive the best possible treatment and services. Our campaigns make sure their voices are heard through the media and in government.
Whether or not a patient is given potentially life-saving cancer drugs still significantly depends on where they live. Our report showed that postcode prescribing across the country means that there are unacceptably high variations in access to treatments such as Herceptin®. We called on the Healthcare Commission to fulfil its purpose of enforcing national standards.
Our Work and Cancer campaign found that many employees affected by cancer leave the workforce unnecessarily, because of loss of confidence, a sense of isolation and a lack of flexible working practices. Our campaign aimed to raise awareness and understanding of how people manage their cancer in the workplace and to improve the information, support and guidance they receive. We published a report with a series of recommendations for policymakers, health professionals and employers, and a booklet to help patients cope with the work issues they may face.
People paying out for private medical insurance justifiably expect that insurers will cover the cost of their treatment should they become ill. Our survey discovered that most insurers refuse funding for vital cancer treatments if the cancer recurs, when patients are at their most vulnerable. We called on the insurance industry to change their practices and to make the extent of their cancer cover clearer to consumers.
Waiting for diagnosis or treatment can be an extremely anxious time for patients, so how long they have to wait really matters. We discovered that NHS waiting times targets, set by government in The NHS Cancer Plan, were not yet being met. A shortage of key specialist staff and poor IT systems were reported to be the biggest obstacles to achieving targets. We called for good practice to be shared and for Primary Care Trusts to work together to deliver high-quality services.
‘My boss offered me no time off to attend medical appointments and instead asked me to organise them for before or after my shifts.’
Jenny Burchall, Dorset