Effective Cancer Management: framework

2. Collective Strength

Cancer Management Teams in NHS Scotland must foster effective working relationships with all disciplines that cancer pathways cut across.

NHS Scotland promotes a culture of continuous learning and quality improvement. This ethos should be embraced by Cancer Management Teams by promoting quality improvement projects, sharing best practices and linking with internal and external improvement teams.

2.1 Cancer Managers should promote a shared understanding and ownership of data at all levels and use this to inform and drive improvements.

2.2 Cancer Teams should actively initiate and engage with improvement, transformation and digital health activities within Board, NHS Scotland and with external agencies.

2.3 Attendance/representation from each NHS Board at the National Cancer Managers Forum (CMF) is essential.

2.4 Attendance/representation from each NHS Board at the National Cancer Waiting Times (CWT) Data and Definitions Group is expected.

2.5 Weekly data submissions and reporting is essential for fortnightly support calls with CfSD Cancer Improvement Team and SG officials (monthly for Island Boards). The support calls should be part of core business for Cancer Management Teams.

2.6 Each member of the Cancer Team should be aware of and understand their services’ performance data and associated improvement plan.

2.7 Effective Breach Analysis reports (Scot Gov 2023) must be undertaken promptly for all patients that do not meet the cancer standards and shared with all appropriate staff. Themes and issues from breach analysis should be shared and escalated as necessary with appropriate actions taken to mitigate and avoid further breaches occurring.

2.8 Cancer services should engage with peer review processes, promoting a culture of transparency, honesty and continuous learning. Peer reviews should be encouraged for all elements of the cancer pathways.