To: Te Aho o Te Kahu – Cancer Control Agency
Cc: Te Whatu Ora, Manatū Hauora, Stats NZ
Via: FYI.org.nz
Date: [Insert]

Tēnā koutou,

Given the increasing public concern about cancer incidence, access to diagnostics, workforce shortages, and delays in treatment, I request the following information under the Official Information Act 1982.

This request covers the period 1 January 2015 to the most recent data available in 2025, and applies to the following cancers (where data is available or routinely coded):
• Breast
• Colorectal
• Lung
• Prostate
• Pancreatic
• Haematological cancers (e.g., lymphoma, leukaemia)
• Any category labelled as “rare”, “aggressive”, or “rapidly progressive” cancers

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1. Cancer incidence – annual totals (2015–2025)

For each year 2015–2025:

1.1 The total number of new cancer diagnoses in New Zealand.
1.2 Annual totals for each major cancer type listed above.
1.3 Annual percentage change year-on-year for each cancer type (or provide raw data so this can be calculated).
1.4 Any internal dashboards, surveillance reports, or monitoring tables used by Te Aho o Te Kahu or Te Whatu Ora to track incidence trends.

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2. Stage at diagnosis (2015–2025)

For each cancer type (where recorded):

2.1 Annual numbers of cancers diagnosed at Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4, and “not staged”.
2.2 Any internal or published analysis on stage migration over time (e.g., increasing late-stage diagnoses).
2.3 Any internal risk assessments that identify factors contributing to later diagnosis.

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3. Diagnostic delays (2018–2025)

Please provide any national-level data or internal reports showing:

3.1 Average and median time from GP referral to first specialist assessment (FSA).
3.2 Average and median time from FSA to diagnostic confirmation.
3.3 Number and proportion of cases breaching the Faster Cancer Treatment (FCT) timeframes:
• 62 day target
• 31 day target

3.4 Any analysis of:
• causes of diagnostic delay
• the impact of service closures, under-staffing, or workforce shortages
• regional variation in delays

If no analysis has been completed, please confirm.

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4. Treatment delays and capacity (2018–2025)

For each year:

4.1 Median and average time from diagnosis to first treatment (surgery, chemo, radiation).
4.2 Number and proportion of cases breaching expected treatment timeframes.
4.3 Radiology and oncology service capacity indicators, including:
• available FTE per region
• vacancy rates
• backlog numbers
• outsourcing levels (private or overseas)

4.4 Any internal assessments of risk to cancer outcomes from staffing shortages.

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5. Mortality trends (2015–2025)

For each cancer type:

5.1 Annual cancer mortality totals (2015–2024 or latest available).
5.2 Crude mortality rate per 100,000 population.
5.3 Age-standardised cancer mortality rate.
5.4 Any internal analysis discussing:
• changes in mortality trends
• excess mortality
• worsening late-stage presentation
• relationship between diagnosis delays and mortality

If such analysis does not exist, please confirm.

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6. Sudden-onset, rapidly progressive, or unusually aggressive cancers

I am not requesting patient details — only aggregate data.

Please provide:

6.1 Any internal reporting or surveillance identifying increases in:
• rapidly progressive cancers
• cancers presenting with unusually short symptom-to-diagnosis intervals
• cancers classified as “high grade”, “rare”, or “unexpectedly aggressive”

6.2 Any comparison of these patterns before and after 2020.

If no such analysis exists, please state whether the agency undertakes surveillance for rapid-progression cancers.

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7. Delayed diagnoses due to system strain (2020–2025)

Please provide any internal reporting or analysis that identifies:

7.1 Increases in patients presenting late because of:
• GP shortages
• reduced access to screening
• delayed referrals
• ED overcrowding
• undersupply of radiologists or oncologists

7.2 Any briefing to Ministers discussing increased cancer morbidity or mortality risk due to workforce shortages.

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8. Briefings to Ministers (2020–2025)

Please provide:
• A list of all briefings, memos, or papers to Ministers or Associate Ministers relating to cancer incidence, delays, or mortality.
• For the first five documents in each category, a copy of the paper (with redactions as needed).

If providing all documents would trigger section 18(f), the list alone is sufficient for this part.

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9. Format
• Please provide numerical datasets in Excel or CSV where possible.
• Documents may be provided as PDF.
• If information is held by another agency, please transfer under s14 OIA.

Kind regards,
Spencer Jones