NHS cancer care’s ‘culture of over treatment’ is wasting time and money, report reveals

The NHS is wasting time and money due to a ‘culture of overtreatment’ in cancer care, a report has revealed.

An All-Party Parliamentary Group paper released on Tuesday on minimally invasive cancer treatments (MICTs) found only 10 per cent of cancer patients are offered non-invasive treatments.

This is despite many of these treatments being recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

And many doctors and patients remain in the dark about some of the newer treatments due to ‘a severe lack of education’ .

The APPG, which is made up of different political parties and peers, was formed to drive awareness of Minimally Invasive Cancer Therapies - proven cancer treatments that provide similar outcomes to cancer surgery but are more targeted and less invasive than traditional surgery.

Paul Sayer, founder of charity Prost8, which launched its ‘ONE in EIGHT’ campaign to help men with prostate cancer get better access to minimally invasive treatment, said: “The report has identified a culture of overtreatment even when it’s not the best or safest option.

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Source: The Independent, 29 June 2022