IMPROVEMENTS to cancer referral processes are required to reduce delays and errors in treatment, and improve patient outcomes, the Island’s new cancer strategy says.
The strategy, a collaboration between Health and Community Services and Macmillan Jersey, was developed by those with experience of the disease, healthcare professionals in the Island, policy makers and cancer charities.
It sets out a framework to help improve the response to what has previously been identified as “a significant health concern in Jersey”, following a 2020 report which noted that the Island has a higher incidence rate for most types of cancer than average figures for England and the South West, and that male Islanders have significantly higher cancer and death rates for most of the common cancer types.
The new strategy, the Island’s first for cancer, seeks to improve detection and diagnosis, treat cancer better, strengthen services, improve patient and family experiences and quality of life outcomes, and advance co-operation between different agencies in the Island.
An electronic referral process and improved referral timescales from GPs are among the strategy’s deliverables over a four-year timescale, with expansion of treatment, increased uptake of screening and a reduction of exposure to risk factors, focusing particularly on skin cancers.
Commenting on the strategy, Health Minister Karen Wilson said: “This strategy represents a commitment to our Islanders’ health and well-being – underpinned by a relentless dedication to improving the prevention, early detection, treatment, and support for cancer patients and their families.
“Cancer is a formidable adversary, affecting the lives of countless individuals on our Island. It knows no boundaries, respects no age, and shows no mercy. It challenges our healthcare system, our families, and our resolve,” she said.
