39093 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health

39093 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health: What progress has been made in the last quarter (January to March 2024) to ‘Develop tools and pathways to facilitate cancer diagnosis for primary and community health’ under Outcome 4: New Zealanders have better cancer survival, supportive care and end-of-life care, as part of the New Zealand Cancer Action Plan 2019 – 2029?

Hon Dr Shane Reti: I am advised that Cancer Control Agency - Te Aho o Te Kahu continues the development of Optimal Cancer Care Pathways (OCCP), by tumour stream, to describe contemporary best practice and expectations for the delivery of publicly funded optimal cancer care. In the past quarter January to March 2024 progress includes development of a generic Master framework to be used for all OCCPs, and lung and bowel cancer specific OCCPs are complete as final draft. Breast and pancreatic are 90% complete. There are other tumour OCCPs and supporting guides/tools at various stages of development. I am further advised that during this time period Cancer Control Agency also published a report on "Routes to Diagnosis" for cancer types.