New group will act to cut cancer rate

By MARTIN JOHNSTON


The Government is setting up a group to monitor cancer services, in a bid to cut New Zealand's high cancer death rate.

The Cancer Control Council will be an early warning group to help to avert crises such as the staff shortages that have led to patients being sent to Australia for radiotherapy.

The council, to be appointed by Health Minister Annette King in February, will monitor and review implementation of the Cancer Control Strategy, published last year.

Ms King is also creating the position of principal adviser on cancer control, to report directly to her on cancer control issues.

Groups involved in providing cancer services have welcomed these developments.

"We have been advocating for improvements in the control of cancer in New Zealand since the mid-1990s," said Cancer Society president Richard Gray.

Cancer Control Trust chairman Professor Brian Cox said improvements in cancer control would require greater co-ordination between Government and non-government agencies. This could be achieved by the independent council.

"We haven't had mechanisms to ensure this happens," he said.

Crises such as having to send radiotherapy patients to Australia might have been avoided if something like the council had existed.

The council's formal brief is to monitor and review implementation of the Cancer Control Strategy and give an annual report to Parliament.

It will be expected to help bring together cancer control organisations, from the Cancer Society to the six hospital cancer centres.

The aim of the Government's cancer strategy is to reduce the incidence and effect of the disease and reduce inequalities such as the higher Maori cancer death rate.

The strategy was developed by the Cancer Control Trust, representing non-government organisations, and the Health Ministry.

The Cancer Control Taskforce, made up of cancer experts and non-government groups, asked Ms King to set up the council.

Facts about cancer

* About 16,000 people develop cancer each year. This is expected to rise to 22,000 by 2012.

* About 7500 people die from cancer each year and this is expected to rise to about 9000 by 2012.

* From the 1960s to the 1990s, New Zealand's cancer death rate increased more quickly - and is now higher - than that of comparable countries such as Australia, Canada, the US and Britain.

* New Zealand has the highest death rate of OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries for large bowel cancer and melanoma.

* Cancer accounts for about 30 per cent of deaths in New Zealand.

* Shortages of health workers, particularly radiation therapists, but also cancer doctors and pathologists.

* Long delays for breast and prostate cancer patients waiting to start radiotherapy, especially in Auckland. Many have been sent to Australia for the treatment.

* New Zealand's ageing population, which means more people are developing cancer.