Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with Public Health England and NHS England on measures to ensure early diagnosis of rare cancers in the last (a) six and (b) 12 months.

Measures to ensure early diagnosis of cancer, including rarer cancers, are discussed monthly by the Public Awareness and Primary Care Steering Group. The group is chaired by NHS England's National Clinical Director for Cancer and has members representing Public Health England (PHE - Marketing and National Cancer Intelligence Network); NHS England, NHS Improving Quality; Cancer Research UK; Macmillan Cancer Support; Department of Health officials and other stakeholders.

Within the last 12 months, PHE ran campaigns on five rarer cancers: the “blood in pee” campaign for bladder and kidney cancer; the “persistent bloating” campaign for ovarian cancer and; the “persistent heartburn” campaign for oesophago-gastric cancer (oesophageal and stomach). PHE's advertising spend on these campaigns was around £3 million.

In 2013-14, NHS England made £2.3 million available to Strategic Clinical Networks to support early diagnosis of cancer, including supporting the Be Clear on Cancer campaigns. In addition, the Department funds the National Cancer Intelligence Network around £600,000 a year to undertake evaluation of the campaigns. These funds form part of the £450 million additional funding over four years for early diagnosis of cancer as set out in Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer (2011).