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<p>On 11 January, NHS England announced a new independent cancer taskforce to develop
a five-year action plan for cancer services that will improve survival rates and save
thousands of lives. It will produce a new cross-system national cancer strategy to
2020, building on NHS England’s vision for improving cancer outcomes as set out in
the NHS Five Year Forward View.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The taskforce will work
in partnership with the cancer community and other health system leaders, and will
be chaired by Dr Harpal Kumar, Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK. It will include
cancer specialist doctors and clinicians, patients groups and charity leaders, including
Macmillan Cancer Support, Public Health England, local councils, and the Royal College
of general practitioners.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The action plan will set a
clear direction covering the whole cancer pathway from prevention to living with and
beyond cancer and end-of-life care and address issues such as data, workforce and
research. It will also consider how services need to develop and innovate in future.
The taskforce will assess the opportunity for improved cancer care and produce a statement
of intent by March 2015, with the new strategy to be published in the summer.</p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>NHS England has also launched a major new programme to test
innovative ways of diagnosing cancer more quickly at more than 60 sites across the
country, and committed a further £15 million over three years to evaluate and treat
patients with a type of modern radiotherapy.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Decisions
about future funding for cancer services and any changes to the structures nationally
to support the delivery of cancer commissioning will be taken in light of the output
from the Cancer Taskforce. Specialised commissioning teams will negotiate contracts
with providers for 2015-16 in line with NHS England’s published commissioning intentions.</p><p>
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