Pathway

The Northern Cancer Alliance prioritises work to streamline and improve the cancer pathways.

This ‘pathway’ typically includes the following stages:

  • Referral into services
  • Investigation(s)
  • Diagnosis
  • Treatment
  • Follow up and living with and beyond cancer support

Some of these steps will take place within the same hospital/clinical setting, some will take place at a specialist centre.

NCA seeks to refine processes to improve intra-provider (between departments in one hospital) and inter-provider (between a hospital and a specialist centre) transfers.

At all points along the pathway NCA considers the patient experience alongside the cancer care provider perspective. This work is outlined in the Public Involvement section.

The pathway section of the website also includes the pages for NCA expert advisory groups, digital initiatives, and workforce plans.