Thyroid cancer - clinical quality performance indicators: engagement document

5. Survival

Improving survival forms an integral part of the National Cancer Quality Programme. Survival analysis will be reported by Public Health Scotland (PHS). The specific issues which will be addressed, for example 1 year or 5 year survival rates, will be identified by an expert group ahead of any analysis being undertaken, as per the agreed national cancer quality governance and improvement framework.

To ensure consistent application of survival analysis, it has been agreed that a single analyst on behalf of all three regional cancer networks undertakes this work. Survival analysis will be scheduled as per the national survival analysis and reporting timetable, agreed with the National Cancer Quality Steering Group and Scottish Cancer Strategic Board. This reflects the requirement for record linkage and the more technical requirements of survival analyses which would make it difficult for individual Boards to undertake routinely and in a nationally consistent manner.