Cancer Summit makes recommendations on tackling Covid-induced backlog
A SPECIAL Cancer Summit has been held which has made recommendations to the Government on how to tackle the Covid-induced cancer backlog.
The report 'Catch Up With Cancer - The Way Ahead' was drafted following an inquiry launched by the three chairs of the All-Party Parliamentary Groups for Radiotherapy (APPGRT), Health and Cancer, who came together to launch the consultation ‘Solutions to the Covid induced cancer backlog’.
It makes seven recommendations to the Government on how to tackle the backlog, based on evidence provided by cancer organisations, clinicians and professional bodies - including IPEM.
And IPEM was one of only 12 organisations out of more than 40 who submitted a response to be invited to present its evidence in person at a roundtable event held before the summit to help inform the report.
IPEM’s Radiotherapy Professional Standards Panel produced a detailed and comprehensive response, which was submitted to the consultation.
A virtual roundtable event was then held and Dr Vivian Cosgrove, Chair of IPEM’s Radiotherapy Professional Standards Panel, was asked to take part. He was one of only 12 people out of the more than 40 royal colleges, clinicians, charities, organisations, patients and individuals who submitted written responses to be asked to do so.
Dr Cosgrove discussed IPEM’s submission in more detail with parliamentarians, including Tim Farron MP, Chair of the APPGRT, Vice-chair Grahame Morris MP, and Professor Pat Price, the Chair of Action Radiotherapy.
He then attended the Cancer Summit which launched the report and which was attended by a range of cancer stakeholders, medical colleges, clinicians and charities on what more can be done in terms of policy and practical solutions. It is hoped the report will secure parliamentary support for the seven recommendations that have been made. Dr Cosgrove was also a signatory to a letter sent from the APPGRT to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, drawing his attention to the issue.
Professor Stephen O’Connor, IPEM’s President, said: ‘We submitted an extremely detailed and comprehensive response to this consultation and I am delighted that we were one of those organisations to be singled out to present our evidence in person and in greater detail. Dr Cosgrove has been involved with the All Party Parliamentary Group on Radiotherapy since it launched its manifesto for radiotherapy three years ago and his views are very well respected.
‘This is an important issue and I hope that the recommendations from APPGRT will be listened to and acted upon by the Government.’