Cancer survival in Spearhead Primary Care Trusts in England

Dr Anjali Shah, Libby EllisProfessor Michel P Coleman and Dr Bernard Rachet

Funded by the Office for National Statistics

The Spearhead Group

The “Spearhead Group” of areas, announced in November 2004, consists of the Local Authority areas, and the Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) which map to them, that are in the bottom fifth in England for three or more of the following five factors:

  • male or female life expectancy;
  • cancer or cardiovascular disease mortality rates in under 75s; and
  • Index of Multiple Deprivation 2004 (Local Authority Summary), average score.

Health inequalities

The Spearhead Group is a fixed list of 70 Local Authorities, and the 62 corresponding PCTs (originally 88 PCTs, prior to the NHS reorganisation), and forms the focus for Government action to tackle life expectancy, cancer and cardiovascular disease inequalities.

Cancer survival estimates

In collaboration with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the Department of Health, we produce estimates of cancer survival for ten of the most common cancers in adults among persons who, at the time of diagnosis, were resident in the areas of what are now Spearhead Primary Care Trusts in England, compared with those resident in the rest of England.

Publications (jointly with ONS)

Ellis, L.; Rachet, B.; Shah, A.; Walters, S.; Coleman, M.P.; Cooper, N.; Westlake, S.; Trends in cancer survival in Spearhead Primary Care Trusts in England, 1998-2004. Health Stat Q, 2009; (41):7-12

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