Thank you for contacting me about the #CatchUpWithCancer Campaign.
Let me assure you that I share the commitment of the campaign to see waiting lists for cancer treatment and care significantly reduced over the next few years; moreover, I know that Ministerial colleagues are aware of the campaign and its calls to action.
Over the last year, the Government has provided funding to help cancer services to recover, and a plan that outlines how that funding will be spent effectively.
Through the NHS Long Term Plan, an additional £32 million was provided for radiotherapy equipment in 2021/22, ensuring that approximately 100 radiotherapy treatment machines could be replaced or upgraded. Reinforced by £6 billion of capital investment in the 2021 Spending Review, the NHS is gradually reducing the number of linear accelerators aged 10 years or over. For more about the funding of the NHS see the article on this website here.
It is right that this funding comes with high expectations for reducing cancer waiting times. The NHS has set an ambition that, by March 2024, 75 per cent of patients who have been urgently referred by their GP for suspected cancer will be diagnosed or have cancer ruled out within 28 days.
The Government is currently developing a new 10 Year Cancer Plan, which will consider access to cancer treatments, including radiotherapy.
In the meantime, I also understand that payment arrangements for radiotherapy are being reviewed to ensure providers can increase access to new treatments and upgrade and replace equipment. These arrangements are expected to be in place from April 2023.
Any constituents with concerns about their own care and who feel that I might be able to help by making enquiries or representations on their behalf should contact my office to see if we can raise those concerns as individual cases.
Thank you once again for taking the time to contact me.
Craig Whittaker MP
November 2022