The European Cancer Pulse: From Data Intelligence to Policy Action

 

An article published online by Queen’s University Belfast highlights an innovative data tool to quickly and easily track cancer inequalities across Europe and the impact they have on cancer outcomes. Called the European Cancer Pulse, this data intelligence resource was developed by the European Cancer Organisation.

Currently, the Pulse captures data from 49 European countries, on 280+ indicators in 24 inequalities categories, with over 13,000 data points. The Pulse Country Reports provide policymakers with specific intelligence to improve cancer care in their individual countries.  

ECO launched nine such country reports last year as part of ECO’s pan-European ‘Time to Accelerate’ initiative.

In the UK, it drew public attention to a severe cancer workforce crisis. Nearly 20% of cancer professionals there report ‘high levels of burnout’, while 45% report that their ‘work exhausts them’. Nearly half of those who participated in the survey say that their ‘workload seems endless’. A total of 48% indicated that they felt that their supervisors ‘did not care about their wellbeing’, while 45% reported that increasing administrative responsibilities made their job unnecessarily difficult.

‘This is a ticking time bomb for UK cancer services that needs to be defused as a matter of urgency,’ said Mark Lawler, a professor of Digital Health at Queen’s University Belfast and Scientific Lead of the European Cancer Pulse. ‘Oncology consultants are continuing to leave and are not replaced. This means longer waiting times for patients trying to schedule an appointment. Secretaries are also leaving, which leads to more and more pressure on nurses and doctors to perform administrative tasks in addition to their clinical duties.

‘Increasing numbers of patients are being diagnosed with cancer. More recurrences are occurring due to late diagnoses as a result of the pandemic. No new staff are being recruited so staff shortages continue to grow. It gives me no pleasure to be the harbinger of doom, but the data do not lie. Our National Cancer Service workforce is clearly in a crisis that requires an immediate remedy. This is yet another example of why a national cancer plan in the UK is an urgent necessity.’

The influence of Pulse Reports has been significant.

• In Greece, it prompted the Ministry of Health’s announcements on the preparation of a National Cancer Plan, the development of a National Cancer Registry, and progress towards a ‘Right to be Forgotten’ to prevent financial discrimination against cancer survivors.
• In Bulgaria, it informed the Ministry of Health’s announcement on the implementation of HPV vaccination for boys.
• In Ireland, it highlighted social inequalities in cancer survival and the need for the Right To Be Forgotten to be embedded into Irish law.
• In France, it drew widespread attention to the country’s low breast cancer screening.