Spend on cancer per patient in England 2006 - 2007

£8,470

Compare this with other PCTs: highest amount spent was £17,028, lowest was £5,182, and average PCT spend per cancer patient was £8,437.

Exceptional funding for cancer treatment

The following information was requested from the PCT under the Freedom of Information Act.

Written protocols
Protocols are in place for the cancer network to assess exceptional requests. Processes are in place "for the cancer network to consider treatment requests pre-NICE". 

Requests for exceptional treament are considered by the Essex Cancer Network Chemotherapy Board (ECNCB).  The Network Director stated that "The 'exceptional cases' are submitted to ECNCB Chair for chair's approval in advance of meeting prior to board consideration.  Board will decide if request should progress to full submission and inclusion on network's approved regimen list".

Cancer treatments funded by PCT following exceptional requests for treament

Since 02 October 2006, 28 patients' exceptional requests for cancer treatments have been funded by the PCT.  The treatments were: Herceptin, brachytherapy, HIFU, Cetoximab (sic), nilotinib, Caelyx, Tarceva.

Cancer treatments not funded by PCT following exceptional requests for treament

Thirteen requests were not funded by the PCT since 02 October 2006.