Latest State of the Nation results have been published by the National Cancer Audit Collaborating Centre (NATCAN)

Results from the national cancer audits in England and Wales have been published by the National Cancer Audit Collaborating Centre (NATCAN). The reports highlight areas of progress while demonstrating that variations in the quality of cancer care persist across the NHS

The latest State of the Nation (SotN) reports for the national audits in primary breast, metastatic breast, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, pancreatic and oesophago-gastric cancer are now available online.

The reports include actionable recommendations mapped to quality improvement goals, alongside supporting material such as Action Plan templates, Methodology Supplements and provider-level results.

NATCAN aims to strengthen NHS cancer services by examining treatments and patient outcomes across England and Wales. With more than 1,100 people diagnosed with cancer every day in the UK, improving care and outcomes for patients has never been more crucial.

“These State of the Nation reports provide high-quality national benchmarking data in key clinical areas. Whilst there are clear improvements in some areas of care, there is still too much unwarranted variation. We urge cancer services and clinical teams on the ground to explore our recommendations and use our quality improvement tools to shine a light on the care they are providing and translate our findings into meaningful improvements for their patients.”

Dr Tom Roques, Clinical Director of NATCAN

The State of the Nation reports contain recommendations for NHS cancer services and are published alongside individual NHS Trust or Health Board and regional results in the new NATCAN data dashboard, highlighting where improvement is needed. The complexity of cancer treatment is considered for each audit, recognising that a patient’s treatment plan must consider the stage of their cancer, their fitness, and how likely they are to respond to treatment.

“High-quality cancer care depends on patients receiving the right treatment, at the right time, wherever they live. These audits provide valuable evidence on where care is working well and where improvements are needed. This insight must be used to share best practice and ensure that every patient has access to the high standards of care they deserve.”

Mr Tim Lane, President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England

NATCAN works in close partnership with professional bodies and patient charities to progress cancer care. Patient forums have been established to ensure people with lived experience of cancer play a central role in shaping the quality improvement goals and activities of each audit. NATCAN SotN reports are published alongside patient summaries. The cancer audits are committed to sector-wide engagement to deliver meaningful outcomes for patients, their families, healthcare professionals and the wider system.

“These reports help the cancer community identify where there is variation in care and focus efforts where improvements can have the greatest impact. We are grateful to the clinical teams, people with lived experience, charities and professional organisations who contribute to the national cancer audits, helping to ensure that the evidence generated by NATCAN supports quality improvement and ultimately better outcomes for people affected by cancer.”

Dr  Julie Nossiter, Director of Operations, NATCAN