How patients with head and neck cancers are cared for is described in the first report from a new national data collection, published recently.
The audit is managed by The Health and Social Care Information centre, on behalf of the Healthcare Commission, and focuses on voice box (larynx) and mouth (oral cavity) cancers, which account for around 50% of all head and neck cancer registrations in England. The report covers the first 20 months of the audit, which collected data from 26 out of 34 English Cancer Networks.
Richard Wight, consultant head and neck surgeon, and head and neck audit lead said: “The audit is still in its infancy but has already provided valuable information that will help clinicians provide patients with quality evidence-based care.
“Before we began we were aware of differing standards between different parts of England and even within the same region. We are now in a position to target the important gaps in provision, locally or nationally, press for resources and reorganisation to cope, and direct research to the real problem areas. In this way we aim to significantly improve the long-term survival rate in head and neck cancer without any advances in therapy.”
