National Cancer Plan
Government unveils landmark national cancer plan
On Tuesday, the Government published its landmark National Cancer Plan for England, setting out how it aims to improve cancer outcomes over the next decade.
The Government says that under the plan, patients will receive faster diagnosis, quicker treatment and better support to live well with cancer. The plan includes around 40 actions spanning prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, workforce and data.
Key commitments include:
- 75% of patients diagnosed from 2035 are cancer-free or living well five years after diagnosis.
- The NHS meeting all cancer waiting time standards by 2029, including 85% of patients starting treatment within 62 days of referral – a target not met since 2014.
- A major expansion of robot-assisted surgery and faster diagnostics to help reduce delays.
The Plan’s central ambition is that by 2035, more people will survive cancer or live well with cancer, delivering the fastest improvement in cancer survival this century.
