Macmillan Cancer Support

Thank you for contacting me as part of Macmillan Cancer Support’s General Election campaign.

 

There are few things more distressing than being diagnosed with cancer. It is vital that patients have access to the best drugs, receive the best care and are always treated with respect. We believe in the founding principles of the NHS, which is why we have protected and increased NHS funding since 2010. We will now go further, and increase NHS spending by £8 billion in real terms over the next five years. This commitment to the NHS has allowed us to fund a Cancer Drugs Fund, invest in diagnosis and quality of treatment, and fund public awareness campaigns. 

 

I am proud that we have the highest cancer survival rates ever. The latest survival figures show an estimated 7,000 more people surviving cancer after successful NHS cancer treatment compared to three years prior. And within two years, it is projected that more than 5,000 extra people a year will survive cancer compared to now.

 

However, more must yet be done; you will be pleased to learn that there will be new fast track funding for the most promising new cancer drugs approved by NICE. This funding is matched by rigorous NHS England assessment and price negotiation, and has helped eliminate a £125 million overspend in the Cancer Drugs Fund budget. There have been six new molecular diagnostic tests funded by the NHS this year.

 

As you may be aware, we have set out an ambitious new Cancer Strategy, with implementation plan, to deliver higher standards, including a focus on staffing, improved diagnosis quicker access to treatment. Specifically, we will improve survival rates through steps like widening screening for bowel and cervical cancer, a new standard to give patients a definitive diagnosis within 28 days, additional endoscopists and expanded diagnostic capacity to catch cancers earlier. In cancer services, we will deliver the new promise to give patients a definitive diagnosis within 28 days by 2020. We will expand screening and a major radiotherapy equipment upgrade will help ensure many more people survive cancer.

 

The NHS will implement the largest radiotherapy upgrade programme in 15 years by October 2018 so that patients have access to sustainable high-quality, modern radiotherapy treatments wherever they live. The first 23 hospitals have received new or upgraded equipment in early 2017, and over 50 new radiotherapy machines in at least 34 hospitals will be rolled out over the next 16 months.

 

Finally, we will improve standards of care towards the end of life – so every person receives the compassion they deserve. We will fulfil the commitment we made that every person should receive attentive, high quality, compassionate care, so that their pain is eased, their needs met and their wishes for their closing weeks, days and hours respected.

 

Thank you once again for taking the time to contact me.