Agenda item - Cancer: Update on Local Performance

Report of the Executive Lead for Strategy, Governance & Law on local cancer performance (copy attached)

40.1    The report was presented by Lola Banjoko (CCG Deputy Managing Director South), Dr Alex Mancey-Barratt (CCG Clinical Lead for Cancer) and Ben Stevens (BSUH Director of Operations). Ms Banjoko and Dr Mancey-Barratt outlined some of the innovative local practice on cancer, including outreach work with Albion in the Community to encourage people to attend screening, reductions in the threshold for referrals, ensuring that lessons are learnt from cases where late diagnosis led to poor outcomes, and the development of early diagnosis pathways through the Sussex Cancer Alliance.

40.2    Mr Stevens added that cancer represents a challenge for acute services both nationally and locally. Locally, there are good pathways from diagnosis to treatment in place, but more work needs doing on pathways to diagnosis and on interpreting diagnostic results.

40.3    In response to a question from Cllr Deane as to why screening rates in the city are lower than the national average, Dr Mancey-Barratt told the committee that screening uptake was typically lower in more deprived communities and in those with poorer access to screening facilities. Mobile screening can partly address these issues, but the mobile breast screening unit was no longer used because technological improvements in screening require centralisation in a single location (the premises at Preston Park). Albion in the Community does focus on East Brighton. Members noted that there were access problems with Preston Park: there is very limited parking available and the premises are not easily accessible by bus from all parts of the city.

40.4    In reply to a question from Cllr Greenbaum on the role that workforce shortages play in local performance, Mr Stevens agreed that this is an issue, but there has been recent successful recruitment of specialist breast radiologists.

40.5    In response to a query from Cllr Morris on how the age range for screening programmes is set, Dr Mancey-Barratt explained that this is nationally determined based on a cost/benefit analysis.

40.6    Fran McCabe commented that there was a long-standing problem with both screening and treatment for cancer in Brighton & Hove, with little apparent improvement over time. Dr Mancey-Barratt responded that the screening figures are now quite old, and it is likely that there has been improvement in recent months, particularly since there has been a focus on following up on those residents who do not respond to screening invites.

40.7    Cllr Marsh stated that there would always be problems in getting people from the periphery of the city to attend for breast screening in Preston Park because of access issues. Cllr Morris agreed that improving take-up amongst those at the edges of the city should be a priority: the system cannot simply accept that take-up from these communities will inevitably be low.

40.8    RESOLVED – that the report be noted.