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1715971
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2024-05-07more like thismore than 2024-05-07
answering body
Department of Health and Social Care more like this
answering dept id 17 remove filter
answering dept short name Health and Social Care more like this
answering dept sort name Health and Social Care remove filter
hansard heading Radiotherapy: Staff more like this
house id 2 remove filter
legislature
25277
pref label House of Lords more like this
question text To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the 15 per cent shortfall in clinical oncologists, as estimated in the Royal College of Radiologists workforce census, does not impact the operational performance of radiotherapy services. more like this
tabling member printed
Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick more like this
uin HL4425 remove filter
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2024-05-13more like thismore than 2024-05-13
answer text <p>According to the latest data, of those 10,328 cancer patients referred for first or subsequent treatment for radiotherapy in March 2024, 89.7% were treated within 31 days. The proportion of patients waiting more than 31 days for radiotherapy treatment in March 2024 was therefore 10.3%. This has decreased by 4.5% since January 2024.</p><p>We are aware of regional disparities in wait times for cancer treatment through NHS England’s data, and are considering the findings made by the Royal College of Radiologists. Tackling inequalities in outcomes, experience, and access of cancer diagnostics, including regional disparities, is a key focus of the Government. NHS England has commissioned six new cancer clinical audits in breast cancer, both primary and metastatic, as well as ovarian, pancreatic, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and kidney cancer. These will provide timely evidence for cancer service providers of where patterns of care in England may vary, increase the consistency of access to treatments, and help stimulate improvements in cancer treatments and outcomes for patients. The first outcomes of these audits are expected in September 2024.</p><p>The Department is working closely with NHS England to make sure we have the right workforce with the right skills up and down the country. In 2023/24, NHS England invested an additional £50 million to increase the number of cancer and diagnostic specialists.</p><p>The Government is also backing the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, with over £2.4 billion over the next five years to fund additional education and training places. The plan sets out an aim to double the number of medical school places in England to 15,000 places a year by 2031/32, and to work towards this expansion by increasing places by a third, to 10,000 a year, by 2028/29.</p><p>We are building our cancer workforce. In January 2024 there were over 35,200 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff in the cancer workforce, an increase of over 13,300, or 60.7% since January 2010. Regarding clinical oncology specifically, as of January 2024, there are currently over 1,600 FTE doctors working in the speciality of clinical oncology in National Health Service trusts and other core organisations in England. This is over 30, or 2.2%, more than last year, over 300, or 27.7%, more than 2019, and over 600, 66.5%, more than in 2010. This includes over 900 FTE consultants. This is over 40, or 5.1%, more than last year, over 100, 22.0%, more than in 2019, and over 400, 80.2%, more than in 2010.</p>
answering member printed Lord Markham more like this
grouped question UIN
HL4423 more like this
HL4424 more like this
question first answered
less than 2024-05-13T11:23:46.3Zmore like thismore than 2024-05-13T11:23:46.3Z
answering member
4948
label Biography information for Lord Markham more like this
tabling member
4130
label Biography information for Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick more like this