A search has been launched to find out what has happened to extra hundreds of millions for cancer care - amid fears that much of it has not reached patients.

The government's "exceptional tracking exercise" was launched earlier this month.

The government's Cancer Plan, published in September 2000, promised extra funds would be earmarked to improve services for cancer patients.

But an audit carried out by a leading cancer charity found that much of the �255m for 2001/02 or the �76m for 2002/03 has yet to make it a direct impact.

The failure of the money to materialise at the front line "cancer networks" is an embarrassment for ministers.

Diverted money

There are fears that some of the money may have been siphoned off by NHS trusts for other purposes - including to pay off their debts.

The government's Cancer Director has conceded that some of the money will not have been used "entirely" on cancer services.

Patients and health professionals need to know that money promised for cancer is spent only on cancer Joanne Rule, CancerBacup-

Last week the Department of Health wrote to health authorities, demanding to know what had happened to the money.

The current methods of accounting mean that ministers have little idea what has happened to the cash.

The letter said there were "too many ommission and inaccuracies" in the information they were being given.

"Continuing speculation about spending levels risks undermining stakeholder and public confidence in the progres that is being made," it said.

Firm deadline

The figures have to be submitted by the end of next month, and the results will be published, says the Department of Health.

A spokesman said: "The NHS has been asked to identify additional investment in cancer services in 20001/02 and 2002/03 and information will be made public in the spring.

"The tracking investment exercise should improve understanding of the many cancer service developments that have been funded this year and last year.

"We are committed to ensuring that the �570 million announced in the Cancer Plan reaches cancer services by next year and that the Cancer Plan targets are met.

"We should not let the debate about investment overshadow the hard work of staff which has resulted in significant improvements in cancer services."

Joanne Rule, chief executive of CancerBACUP, said: "We have campaigned for months to get the extra millions to the 'front line' where patients are treated."

"CancerBACUP produced the first full audit of cancer funding in November showing that 50% of networks had not received their expected allocation of funds in 2002/03.

"More than 80 percent did not expect to receive their promised allocated funds in 2003/04."

She added: "Patients and health professionals need to know that money promised for cancer is spent only on cancer.

"So far, this has not been the case. Let's hope that this is the first step towards making it happen."

Stuart Marples, chief executive of the Institute of Healthcare Management, said: "Targeted money does reach high priority spending areas but a proportion of the money will often by necessity be used up before it reaches the end point - such as wage costs - or it may go towards investment in services that will benefit more than one clinical field."