Faster Cancer Treatment pathway in gynaecological malignancy: a repeat clinical audit

This clinical audit aimed to review the Faster Cancer Tract pathway in Northland patients with gynaecological cancers to evaluate whether there has been an improvement since the previous audit in 2014-2015.

There were 46 patients who were discussed at the gynaecological oncology multidisciplinary meeting between January 2016 and December 2016 with confirmed gynaecological malignancy. Information regarding the time taken for various investigations, referrals, decisions and treatment to be completed for each patient was obtained from clinical records and compared against the Ministry of Health faster cancer treatment targets, standards of service provision and data from the previous audit.

Overall, 85% of patients met the target of having their first treatment within 31 days of a decision being made for treatment. 45% of patients met the target of having their first treatment within 62 days of initial referral for suspected cancer. This reflects an overall improvement in service provision from the previous audit period, which showed targets being met in 73% and 39% of cases respectively.

There has been an overall improvement in cancer care service provision for Northland patients since the previous audit, however it still falls short of the national FCT targets.