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Britain Against Cancer Conference 2006
30th November 2006
Queen Elizabeth 2 Conference Centre, Westminster
Ian is chair of the All Party Group (APPG) on Cancer who have just held their Annual Conference - Britain Against Cancer (BAC). This year the conference theme was inequalities in cancer care and ending the postcode lottery. All 3 political parties sent their top health people to speak.
The Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt spoke at the conference and announced that there is to be an updated government strategy for the improvement of cancer services. This is a brilliant step forward for cancer patients and charities in the UK. The Cancer Campaiging Group have ben calling it a Cancer Plan 2, although it is in the very early stages at present and consultaiton will start in January.
It was an interesting conference this year and the patient voice was strong. Access to Drugs was an important theme and we heard from Myeloma patients who told their stories of having been denied the drug velcade by a NICE ruling. Another intresting theme was cancer care in ethnic minorities and questions were raised about how to make cancer care culturally sensitive.
Ian opened the conference and gave the review of the year speech.
He said at the conference :
‘Earlier this year the APPG laid out its New Vision for Cancer and we are delighted that the Government has now committed to an updated national strategy. This is great news for people with cancer.
‘The original Cancer Plan, launched in 2000, led to improvements in front line cancer services. But the cancer landscape has changed dramatically since then and health inequalities still persist. We need a new, holistic vision that creates patient entitlements to standards of care covering the whole patient pathway.
‘Full consultation on the content of a new strategy is vital to its success. The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer looks forward to working with the Government to develop the new strategy for cancer.’
To see Ian's presentation click here
See an interview with Ian at the conference and hear Patricia Hewitt's announcement by clicking here
Read The Guardian on BAC here and here
Read The Times on BAC here
Read the Telegraph on BAC here
To find out more about the APPG on Cancer please visit their website by clicking here