Tracey recently met with cancer charities to discuss the need to ensure integrated care for people with cancer and their carers.  The Cancer Campaigning Group and its members were launching the results of their survey of cancer patients, which revealed that 43% of cancer patients and their carers said that they had not experienced integrated care, compared to just 36% who said that they had.

When asked what makes the most difference in terms of integrated care, respondents to the survey identified five key priorities:

– Speeding up referral from GPs to hospital for testing and diagnosis

– Finding out the results of tests more rapidly

– Having access to a named cancer nurse specialist or other ‘key worker’ throughout the care pathway

– Feeling involved in key decisions about treatment and care

– Having records and test results available to all clinicians and staff involved in care

Tracey Crouch MP said: “The Cancer Campaigning Group’s survey has made it clear that patients care about integrated care.  The NHS, public health and social care services need to work together to make sure that the ambition for integrated care is turned into a reality.  Over the summer recess I’ll be meeting with NHS staff in (insert constituency) to see what can be done to make sure that patients are receiving joined up care.”

Cancer Campaigning Group Steering Group member Alexis Wieroniey said: “We believe that integrated cancer care – a seamless, well co-ordinated service, across GP, hospital, and social services – is an essential component of high quality care.  We are asking parliamentarians to help to raise awareness of the need for more integration in cancer services – we hope that they will go back to their constituencies to find out about local examples of good practice and how these can be spread.”