DORSET has been named one of the best-performing local healthcare areas in England for one year cancer survival.
Analysis by Macmillan Cancer Support revealed a national ‘postcode lottery’ of cancer outcomes.
The charity carried out a study into the proportion of people dying within a year of being diagnosed with cancer.
It estimates that nationwide around 6,000 more people could survive at least 12 months after being diagnosed with cancer every year if the average survival rate for the whole of England matched the top 10 per cent of local healthcare areas in the country.
The proportion of people dying within a year of being diagnosed with cancer is 61 per cent higher in the worst-performing local healthcare area than the best in England. In Dorset, 29 per cent of people diagnosed with cancer die within a year, placing it tenth in the rankings.
The best performing healthcare area is North East Hampshire and Farnham, with 24 per cent, while the worst is Barking and Dagenham, 38 per cent.
General Manager for England at Macmillan Cancer Support David Crosby said: “This analysis shows an unacceptable postcode lottery. Your chances of surviving cancer should not depend simply on where you live.”
There are three Macmillan GPs in Dorset who work closely with Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group to influence and improve the quality of care received from diagnosis through to survivorship and end of life.
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