Monday Lunch Live

30 October 2023

The Suspected Cancer Pathway (SCP) is a Welsh Government target for diagnosing cancer and starting treatment more quickly. It also indicates where information and support should be provided to patients across the pathway.

As a result, every Welsh health board developed plans to ensure the majority of their patients receive cancer diagnostic tests in a timely manner and start their treatment within 62 days, from the very first point where cancer might be suspected.

The SCP is the culmination of more than three years of work to change how health boards identify and report cancers, and to improve outcomes and experiences for people affected by cancer. It means, for the first time, health boards are recording how long patients wait – from the time a cancer is first suspected, regardless of the way they enter the healthcare system.

The SCP team is also facilitating the development of National Optimal Cancer Pathways for each individual cancer site as a tool to help describe the patient journey.

In this webinar, Bethan Hawks, Lead Cancer Nurse from NHS Wales Executive, discusses how cancer outcomes are improving in Wales, UK, through the introduction of these initiatives.