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Twenty nine leading charities, including Cancerbackup, are asking people affected by cancer to help them shape the future of cancer care.

The Cancer Campaigning Group (CCG), an influential coalition of national cancer charities, has launched a ‘Green Paper’ consultation asking patients, carers, health professionals and other experts for their ideas for a second National Cancer Plan for England.

“This is a groundbreaking consultation paper, uniting the views of 29 charities working in cancer prevention, care, treatment, support and information, and research,” says Emily Bird of charity Cancerbackup and spokesperson for the CCG.

“The NHS Cancer Plan has made good progress since 2000, but needs to be updated in the face of new cancer challenges, and a changed public health environment. Through this three month consultation we hope to identify those areas that need the most attention, and recommend sensible policy solutions.

“We are also demonstrating that the voluntary sector is as serious about its vital role in helping the Government shape the future of cancer care as it is about delivering cancer services.”

The CCG’s ‘Green Paper’ consultation can be downloaded at www.cancercampaigninggroup.org.uk. The consultation ends on 10 November.

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Notes to editors

1. The Cancer Campaigning Group (CCG) is a coalition of 29 national cancer charities. The Group, now in its fifth year, campaigns for improvements across the range of cancer policy and services. In 2006 the CCG is focused on highlighting the need for an updated Cancer Plan.
2. The CCG’s campaigning strategy and activities are developed and agreed by a steering group of representatives from five member charities, who are currently: Arlene Wilkie of Breast Cancer Campaign, Donna Castle of British Lung Foundation, Emily Bird of Cancerbackup, Catherine Foot of Cancer Research UK, and Gus Baldwin of Macmillan Cancer Support. The Steering Group make decisions on behalf of the wider membership.
3. Preparing for a Second Plan: Maintaining the momentum in cancer policy, the CCG ‘Green Paper’ can be downloaded at www.cancercampaigninggroup.org.uk. For hard copies please contact Anne Baxendale on 020 7344 1345, or by email anne.baxendale@edelman.com.
4. At the end of the three month consultation process the CCG will review all feedback and compile a final ‘White Paper’ policy proposal, to represent the consensus position of stakeholders relevant to cancer, and make a well-evidenced case for the need for a second cancer plan. The CCG plans to launch its White Paper early in 2007.
5. The NHS Cancer Plan was published in 2000 by the Department of Health, to deliver a cancer service comparable with others in Europe. It set out the first comprehensive national cancer programme for England, with ambitious targets to improve cancer care. Priorities and commitments until 2010 were laid out in the plan. The NAO (National Audit Office) published a review of the 2000 Cancer Plan in March 2005, which stated that “decisions need to be taken now on how to update and bring together all elements of the current cancer strategy in a unified way”.
6. The Cancer Campaigning Group is currently supported by five pharmaceutical companies (AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Roche, Pfizer and sanofi-aventis). Edelman Public Affairs is employed as the secretariat to the CCG, to coordinate and manage activities and events as directed by the steering group, and provide communications advice and support. The steering group meets with representatives of supporter companies twice yearly to update them on recent and forthcoming activities. Supporting organisations do not direct or control CCG strategy, activities or literature.

For more information please contact Pamela Dow on 07814 851 963, or Anne Baxendale on 07899 918 597.