Cancer: Medical Treatments
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of variations in cancer treatment waiting times between NHS trusts.
Answered by Mrs Sharon Hodgson
The Department recognises that treatment waiting times vary significantly across the country, and we are determined to change this. We will tackle this variation head on by streamlining access to cutting-edge treatments and increasing the cancer workforce in trusts that most need it, including in rural and coastal areas.
The recently published National Cancer Plan sets out how we will end the postcode lottery for cancer care and improve outcomes for thousands of patients. It will shift healthcare from hospitals to the community and ensure that all cancer patients, regardless of where they live, have timely access to high-quality, specialist cancer services.
National Health Service regions and Cancer Alliances will jointly identify underperforming trusts and provide intensive support including leadership intervention, peer-to-peer mentoring, seconding senior managers from stronger trusts, and access to £200 million of ringfenced cancer funding in 2026/27 to improve cancer pathway performance and reduce delays.
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