The Health Minister has admitted to the Welsh Conservatives that local health boards in Wales are still not meeting cancer standards first set out in 2005.
In a written statement to Shadow Minister for Health, Andrew Davies AM, the Minister said LHBs are “currently carrying out self-assessments against the National Cancer Standards.”
These standards were introduced five years ago and cover ten cancer sites – ranging from breast, lung and prostate to thyroid and upper gastrointestinal and specialist palliative care.
A 100% compliance target was originally set for March 2009. That was later put back to September 2010.
Mr Davies said: “The Health Minister’s response to my question is worrying at best. If these standards are still not being met, the battle against cancer in Wales is being lost.
“We are almost certainly losing lives that could otherwise be saved.
“A recent report by the Cancer Co-ordinating Group found that compliance with official cancer standards was still as low as 36% in some parts of Wales. It made it clear that to increase survival rates from mid range to the best in Europe, more needs to be done.”
“It is clear that this has not yet been achieved. Our cancer services are still falling short and we need to know why.
“Why should people in Wales have less chance of surviving cancer than people elsewhere in Europe?”
“Plaid’s health spokeswoman has now announced she wants a ‘national cancer vision’. That’s despite voting against Welsh Conservative proposals for a national cancer plan.
“I am pleased that one half of our coalition government is finally supporting Conservative policy. Plaid’s help in convincing the Health Minister that she is putting thousands of lives at risk would now be much appreciated.
“We have to act now and make sure that all our local health boards are meeting these standards.”
