Cancer services in England are in a "shambles" following reforms to the way they are organised and funded, according to a report published today.

MPs on the all-party parliamentary cancer group also question the abilities of GPs to identify and refer cancer patients to the relevant service in the NHS.

Primary care trusts are "struggling" to cope, they insisted.

Instead, the new system of funding and organising cancer treatment should be scrapped, and instead transferred to England's 34 cancer networks, comprising of professionals and specialists who oversee patient needs.

"The inquiry has exposed a serious problem," said chairman of the group and Labour MP Dr Ian Gibson.

"PCTs are struggling to cope and lack experience in commissioning cancer services."

The report comes as ministers are due to announce the implementation of a national screening programme for bowel cancer, Britain's second biggest cancer killer.