NHSE and government reprimanded for ‘selective reporting’ of cancer performance

NHS England and the government have been criticised for “selective reporting” of statistics by an influential Westminster committee.

The chair of the Public Accounts Committee Meg Hillier wrote to NHS England CEO Amanda Pritchard requesting “greater realism about the scale of the challenge” on cancer services.

It follows the government and NHSE claiming in a government response to the committee that they had “implemented” one of its earlier recommendations, to “bring cancer treatment back to an acceptable standard”.

In their February report on backlogs and waiting times, MPs said cancer delays were “unacceptable” and services should be recovered “as a matter of urgency”. The report also criticised NHSE for “over-optimism” when drawing up cancer and elective recovery plans.

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Source: HSJ,  4 July 2023