NHS Cancer Plan

NHS Cancer Plan

A plan delineated in 2000 as the Department of Health’s response to the Calman Hine report (1995) on cancer services, which set out a comprehensive strategy to tackle cancer by linking prevention, diagnosis, treatment, care and research. The Plan provides a detailed account of the government's investment in and reform of cancer services in England, aiming to reduce death rates and improve survival and quality of life for cancer sufferers by improving prevention, promoting early detection and effective screening practice, and guaranteeing high quality treatment and care nationally. The Cancer Plan is particularly committed to addressing health inequalities through setting new national and local targets for the reduction of smoking rates, setting new targets for the reduction of waiting times, establishing national standards for cancer services, investing in specialist palliative care, expanding and developing the cancer workforce, and making funds available to purchase equipment needed to facilitate interaction of multidisciplinary meetings with staff spread over different sites, cancer facilities, and cancer research.