NEWS: IHDP Director leads Scotland's Cancer Recovery Group

The Scottish Government has announced a new National Cancer Recovery Group to focus on the remobilising and recovery of cancer services in Scotland. Chairing this new group is IHDP Director, Professor Aileen Keel. Also on the group is IHDP Deputy Director Professor David Cameron.

In recent news, a study estimating excess mortality in people with cancer during the COVID-19 emergency has stated a possible 20% rise in deaths.  This makes it clear that there will be serious repercussions if normal cancer services do not resume as quickly as possible.  

The Scottish Government assembled the Cancer Treatment Response Group in response to the pandemic situation. The group will publish guidance on the management of cancer patients during the pandemic, Including the changing, pausing or delaying of treatments.  All health boards accepted and implemented this guidance.

Now that the number of new COVID-19 cases is falling, the Scottish Government can consider how cancer services will remobilise. Cancer Research UK suspects that across the UK, over 2 million people are waiting for scanning, tests and treatments, so there a significant backlog of patients, in particular waiting for diagnostic tests such as endoscopy, or for cancer surgery.

The new National Cancer Recovery Group (NCRG) will provide strategic end-to-end national oversight of all cancer services during this recovery phase. IHDP's Director, Professor Aileen Keel CBE, will chair this important group. Our Deputy Director, Professor David Cameron, is also a member of the group. Another newly established group, the National Cancer Treatment Group (NCTG) will provide operational oversight of cancer treatments across Scotland, and will report to NCRG.

COVID-19 has, directly and indirectly, affected many people, both patients and NHS staff.  I am honoured to be part of this group under Aileen Keel’s expert leadership as it seeks to optimise the way the Scottish NHS cancer services can get back towards normal in a co-ordinated manner to help all current and future Scottish cancer patients.

The recently published framework for the recovery of cancer surgery outlines the expectation that all health boards prioritise cancer patients. There will need to be a coordinated approach across the regions to provide the earliest available appointments for cancer patients awaiting surgery. This approach will also have to ensure equal access for all patients. 

Professor Keel has been at the forefront of Scottish cancer services for many years. She chairs the Scottish Cancer Taskforce, which has been “paused” during the recovery phase. Since IHDP’s inception, she has pursued a “Once for Scotland” approach to the development and implementation of new technologies, particularly in the area of cancer data.