Provide world-class cancer treatment

Provide rosetteMore people with cancer are surviving than ever before, thanks in part to better cancer services and new targeted treatments. 

Patients have a right to expect rapid access to the best surgery, radiotherapy and medicines after diagnosis. 

When cost-effective treatments are developed, Government should ensure that they are available and used as fast as possible across the country.

We want the Government to:

  • Work with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), Primary Care Trusts and other interest groups to ensure effective cancer treatments are available to all eligible patients as soon as possible.
  • Maintain investment in cancer services, recognising the scale of the cancer burden in the UK and our poor survival rates compared to international benchmarks.
  • Take a lead in ensuring that new radiotherapy and surgery techniques which can improve outcomes and reduce side effects are rolled out across the NHS as rapidly as possible.
  • Plan now for further advances in cancer treatment by developing models for more treatment in outpatient clinics, more local services to diagnose cancer and wider availability of genetic testing to allow more personalised treatment.
  • Collect and share information on how cancer treatments and outcomes vary across the UK so planners can more easily work out how to change services and improve the quality of care.