How a national vanguard is helping the NHS to provide world class cancer care

Cancer was identified as a top priority in the NHS Five Year Forward View for the simple reason that more than one in three of us will get cancer in our lifetimes. Here’s a look at how the cancer vanguard is working to make a difference.

In July 2015, the Independent Cancer Taskforce published a five-year strategy and ambitious vision to support the aims of the Five Year Forward View by improving services, care and outcomes for everyone affected by cancer.

One of its key recommendations was to promote collaboration through alliances that link key partners at a sub-regional level. Taking that concept one step further, three of those alliances – Greater Manchester Cancer Vanguard Innovation, RM Partners, and UCLH Cancer Collaborative – set up the national Cancer Vanguard as part of the new care models programme.

Taken together, they deliver care to a population of 10.7 million, providing a unique opportunity to pilot innovative projects on an unprecedented scale.

Focusing first on where we can make the most difference

Early diagnosis and detection of cancer can offer the greatest potential for saving lives and improving the patient experience, and several national campaigns have already helped raise awareness. But how do we ensure diagnostic services can match that increased awareness through availability of timely tests?

The Cancer vanguard teams are working on a number of projects looking at those challenges, including:

• Pilot projects that take a proactive approach to identifying those at risk of lung cancer, offering a lung health check and low dose CT scans to help diagnose early stage cancers.
• Multi-disciplinary diagnostic centre (MDC) pilots that offer rapid diagnosis for people presenting with vague symptoms that could indicate cancer.
• Piloting faecal immunochemical testing (FIT) as a ‘rule out’ test of colorectal cancer for patients with suspicious lower abdominal symptoms, reducing the need for unnecessary colonoscopies.
• A new RAPID access pathway for prostate cancer aiming to streamline the diagnostic process from multiple visits to all imaging and biopsies on the same day.

The vanguard is also working on cancer prevention, reducing clinical variation through evidence-based best practice pathways, a recovery package and improving and enhancing experience and quality of life for everyone living with and beyond cancer.

 

Opening out the challenge

The vanguard isn’t working on these issues alone; they are tapping into the innovation and expertise outside the NHS by working in partnership with others.  Projects include:

• The Pharma Challenge – working with pharmaceutical companies to improve the availability and delivery of cancer drugs.
• The Early Diagnosis Industry Challenge – a unique opportunity for industry, academic and third sector partners to work with the vanguard on projects to improve early diagnosis.
• Cancer Champions – a social movement which aims to sign up 10,000 ‘cancer champions’ who will use their experience, knowledge and passion to support those at risk of developing cancer or recently diagnosed with the disease.

One of the key tenets of the new care models programme is the sharing of best practice that can be replicated nationally, and the vanguard has been working to share its learning with the Cancer Alliances and anyone in the business of early diagnosis and prevention – not only cancer but other conditions too. A number of alliances are already looking towards replicating the multi-disciplinary clinics and FIT testing.

The vanguard’s work is truly inspirational and already making a difference to people’s lives. A cancer diagnosis will never be easy to receive and its impact on individuals, their family and friends will always be difficult, but by working together and supporting people every step of the way we can improve the patient experience and outcomes and offer a more positive future.