Improving patient outcomes and experience

We work to improve the outcomes and experience for cancer patients in Kent and Medway.

Our partners

Together with our partners, we want:

  • fewer people getting cancer - through prevention, such smoking cessation advice and support
  • more people surviving cancer, with cancer diagnosed earlier and patients given the best treatment
  • more people having a good experience of their treatment and care, with faster diagnosis and support throughout the process
  • more people supported to live as well as possible after treatment has finished.

We bring together people who work in cancer or with cancer patients - from consultants, nurses, GPs and social care staff, to academics, voluntary staff and patient representatives - to improve diagnosis, treatment and care in our local area.

The work we do covers prevention and early diagnosis, through to aftercare and end of life care. We work on both national and local initiatives.

Plan on a page

We have produced a plan on a page to clearly show where we are focusing our work in 2024/25. It is divided into four sections. 

  • Operational performance.
  • Early diagnosis.
  • Treatment and care.
  • Cross cutting programmes.

Open the sections below to find out what is covered in each, or view the plan on a page: Kent and Medway Cancer Alliance Plan on a page 2024/25 [pdf] 346KB.

Operational performance

  • Reach FDS and 62-day performance targets for 2024/25
  • Support trusts to deliver on the four priority pathways:
    • Breast - deliver a breast pain pathway
    • Gynae - deliver unscheduled bleeding on HRT pathways 
    • Skin - complete the roll out of tele-dermatology 
              - support the ICB to commission the skin service and MDT structure 
              - explore AI options 
    • Urology - develop LATP biopsy nurse-led service 
                    - improve bladder pathway performance
  • 80 per cent of referrals to be informed by FIT by end of 2025.
  • Develop more streamlined processes between primary and secondary care.
  • Work with the Operational Delivery Network to reduce radiotherapy waiting times.
  • Deliver NSS, Cystosponge and CCE as fully commissioned services. 

Early diagnosis

  • Promote and raise awareness of importance of early presentation through outreach programmes and innovation. Work in partnership with social enterprise and community networks.
  • Improve uptake and expand the targeted lung health check programme. 
  • Improve GP referral practice through the roll out of the Primary Care DES. 
  • Work with public health teams to promote and improve uptake of bowel, breast, cervical programmes and HPV immunisation.
  • Make sure 80 per cent of cirrhosis patients are invited to scan as part of the Liver Case Finding and Surveillance Programme. 

Treatment and care

  • Reduce treatment variation using the GIRFT information to focus on the core areas of breast, lung, urology and lower GI to deliver improved outcomes
  • Streamline MDTs in urology, breast and gynae across the Alliance 
  • Deliver Personalised Stratifed Follow Up Pathways 
  • Make sure all patients receive personalised care and support planning interventions
  • Deliver psychosocial support pathways
  • Evaluate demand and capacity for SACT provision

Cross cutting programmes

  • Make sure the patient is at the heart of everything we do
  • Make sure Core20plus5 is part of all Alliance work 
  • Deliver the ACCEND programme and the cancer workforce strategy
  • Provide accurate and relevant data to all Alliance stakeholders to support and direct positive action