Employers urged to update cancer care provision

In light of figures published today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) that revealed the general improving trend of five-year survival rates for cancer patients continued from 2007-2011, the consultant urged employers to think about their approach to cancer care provision in the workplace and the longer term implications that such a stance could bring.

Within five years, most insurers expect cancer to be the top medical condition driving claims costs, according to the most recent Global Medical Trends Survey published by Towers Watson.

The survey found that many corporate healthcare schemes were beginning to increase prices as the rising incidence of high-cost cancer claims - with some exceeding £100,000 - started to impact on future scheme funding.

Towers Watson head of healthcare and risk consulting Kevin Newman explained that the impact of cancer was increasingly more about the quality of life for cancer sufferers who were recovering better and living longer.

"Given the cost implications that these newer, more effective treatments have and the human impact of cancer, employers should ensure their employees who need cancer care have the best options available. A bespoke treatment pathway will ensure the best clinical care and can provide support to families, while also helping to protect the sustainability of private medical provision as an employee benefit," he explained.

"In recent years it has been proven that some conditions, such as musculoskeletal and psychological conditions, are best treated via a bespoke treatment pathway. As we have seen in the NHS, such an approach can mean that the correct clinical diagnosis is reached quicker and that the duration of treatment is reduced, resulting in a positive clinical outcome while also having a positive impact on the financial management of the plan. We believe that it is only natural that cancer treatment also heads in this direction."