One in three of us will be diagnosed with cancer in our lifetime and as treatment and care improves greater numbers of people are living with and beyond cancer. Fortunately half of those with cancer will now live for at least ten years, whereas forty years ago the average survival was only one year. 

Further action is planned by the NHS to increase outcomes for people with cancer even further and action is planned on three fronts:

• better prevention,
• swifter access to diagnosis, and
• better treatment and care for all those diagnosed with cancer. 

To deliver this ambition there will be a new national cancer strategy in 2015. 

Cancer commissioning responsibilities

Responsibility for commissioning cancer is shared across multiple commissioners and our ambition is to collaborate closely to plan across the cancer pathway, to deliver improved cancer outcomes and experiences. 

Cancer screening

Cancer screening programmes are an important element in diagnosing cancers earlier. These programmes are not commissioned by NHS Kernow, but by Public Health England. 

You can find out more information on the NHS screening programme website: www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk.