Tayside Breast Cancer Independent Advisory Group: final report

Clinical processes

25. In discussion there was support for the development of a truly national chemotherapy prescribing administration system (CEPAS) capable of identifying the extent of variation in SACT prescribing across the country, in particular the extent of deviation from agreed CMG SACT protocols. Had such a system been in place, the variation in NHS Tayside practice could have been identified quickly. However, this will require resolution of the current complex inter Board clinical governance and contractual arrangements, system administration and technical issues to create a national system from the current five instances of the system in use across the country, (Chemocare^®). There is an urgent technical need to upgrade the current instances to the web based version 6 of Chemocare^®and work is underway by the cancer networks, with support on contractual issues from National Services Scotland, to deliver this. Work in this area needs to proceed at pace and should be taken forward as a priority.

26. The Group further recommends that the Chief Executives Group and the Scottish Cancer Taskforce have a role in assessing whether sufficient priority is being given to achieving measurable progress in this area. (Recommendation 16).