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Government's cancer health target misses key steps, claims expert

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Sun, 10 Mar 2024, 10:26am
File photo (Getty Images)
File photo (Getty Images)

Government's cancer health target misses key steps, claims expert

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Sun, 10 Mar 2024, 10:26am

The Government's new cancer health target is being described as easy to measure- but unlikely to make a difference.

The target aims for 90 percent of patients to receive cancer management within 31 days of the decision to treat.

Cancer specialist Professor Chris Jackson says it's a bit like saying all bus trips will take 10 minutes, without counting the time spent at the bus stop.

He says the Government could have opted for different targets, such as the cure rate, or the time from diagnosis to treatment.

"So rather than from decision to treat, put the time from actually getting a diagnosis, because that takes into account more of those scans and diagnostic pathway stuff."

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