NATCAN audit reports

Mr Tim Mitchell, President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) said:

"The NHS has access to world-class cancer treatments and care, but inconsistent delivery means far too many patients miss out. At worst, this may mean some patients are needlessly dying or in unnecessary pain.

"The forthcoming National Cancer Plan is a crucial opportunity to ensure the very best standards are applied rigorously across the health service. We can do better - whether that's tackling the severe shortage of diagnostic resources, standardising care pathways, or eliminating treatment disparities. With surgery the primary treatment for around 60% of cancer patients, the NHS must always offer the best options available.
 
"The national cancer audits, hosted by the Royal College of Surgeons of England, shine a spotlight onto NHS cancer care across England and Wales, helping the NHS to improve services. We encourage every person involved in delivering cancer care to engage with these data which clearly shows where improvements can be made so our cancer outcomes are among the very best in the world." 

Notes to editor

1. NATCAN is based in the Clinical Effectiveness Unit (CEU) at Royal College of Surgeons of England – a collaboration between the College and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. 
2. The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) provides world-class education, assessment, and development to 30,000 surgeons, dental professionals, and members of the wider surgical and dental care teams, at all stages of their career. Our vision is to see excellent surgical care for everyone. We do this by setting professional standards, facilitating research, and championing the best outcomes for patients.
3. For more information, please contact the RCS England press office: telephone: 020 7869 6053/6054/6047; email: pressoffice@rcseng.ac.uk; out-of-hours media enquiries: 0207 869 6056.