BOWEL CANCER PATIENTS DENIED CHOICE OF TREATMENT

Bowel Cancer Patients denied Choice of Treatment

Charity urges fine for hospitals that fail to offer choice to bowel cancer patients

Over 1,800 bowel cancer patients are being denied a choice of treatment each year, according to new analysis published today by Beating Bowel Cancer[i]. 

In its report - Equity and Excellence for Bowel Cancer - Beating Bowel Cancer is calling for NHS hospitals that fail to offer bowel cancer patients a full range of clinically appropriate treatments to be hit with tough financial penalties.   

Mark Flannagan, Chief Executive of Beating Bowel Cancer said, “Every day over 100 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer and each one deserves the best treatment and care available. There are a variety of treatment choices available to bowel cancer patients. Yet, many are not being given a choice and, as a result, may not be getting the treatments they need to give them the best chance of beating bowel cancer.  

“Today we are calling for treatment choice to be embedded in the NHS, and where choice is not offered then quality payments should be withheld. We want to turn equity and excellence into a reality for bowel cancer patiens and we believe that this can only be done by putting patient choice at the heart of the NHS.”

Bowel Cancer is the UK’s second biggest cancer killer yet it can be beaten if detected early. Over 90% of patients diagnosed with early stage bowel cancer will survive five years from diagnosis compared to less than 7% of patients diagnosed with late stage disease^[ii].

The report published today sets out Beating Bowel Cancer’s vision for how the health reforms should be applied to bowel cancer and how Beating Bowel Cancer will contribute to the delivery of the best services for patients with bowel cancer.  It identifies areas that require action from the Department of Health, the local NHS, local authorities and professional bodies and makes recommendations about how these groups can tackle bowel cancer. Equity and Excellence for Bowel Cancer is endorsed in the foreword by the former NHS chief executive Lord Crisp and former health minister Lord Darzi.

To read the full report visit www.beatingbowelcancer.org.

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For more information including spokesperson interviews and case studies please contact:

Kate Philipson on 020 8973 0008 / kate.philipson@beatingbowelcancer.org

Notes to editors:

Equity and Excellence for Bowel Cancer

• In the report Beating Bowel Cancer recommends that unless the offer of treatment choice is documented in patient records and recalled by 85% of patients, payments should be withheld from providers, either through the model contract or CQUINS [recommendation 3].
• The report is being launched on Wednesday 25^th January at a parliamentary reception and will be available to download from www.beatingbowelcancer.orgfrom 16:00.
• The full report will be available for preview on request.

Beating Bowel Cancer is a leading UK charity for people affected by bowel cancer. We are dedicated to saving lives by working in partnership to improve public awareness of bowel cancer and to increase the rate of early diagnosis. We help patients access the treatment they need and provide emotional and practical support to improve the lives of everyone affected by bowel cancer.