Campaigning is an important aspect of our work, and through our lobbying
and contacts with government, we aim to keep bowel cancer high on the
political agenda and ensure that the disease is given the priority it
deserves.
Our work in the area of policy and politics covers a number of important areas:
- Patient perspective – linking patients and MP’s together to ensure that the patient voice is heard, and to highlight the impact that political decisions can have on patients and their families
- Access to treatments – we take part in drug/treatment appraisals carried out by the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC), to ensure patients are fairly represented when decisions are made
- The Cancer Campaigning Group – we are working with this group of 28 cancer charities to call for a second Cancer Plan
- Department of Health – we are a member of the Department of Health Bowel Cancer Communications Group, focusing particularly on bowel cancer screening and how this will be rolled out to the general public
In January 2007, we launched our 2012 Bowel Cancer Challenge. This important policy-shaping document highlights current problems and calls for improved services and outcomes for bowel cancer patients in four key areas:
- A coordinated national awareness and education campaign to raise the profile of bowel cancer
- Faster introduction and improved uptake of the current NHS bowel cancer screening programme in England, and extension of the programme to include men and women aged 50+
- Availability of clinically effective treatments at the right time in the right setting for all patients
- Recognition of the value of prolonged, quality life
You can read the full document by downloading it below, or contacting the charity for a printed copy.
