Catch Up With Cancer campaign

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I am writing to you as a constituent to request your urgent support for cancer patients in our local area. The consultation period for the National Cancer Plan closes on Tuesday, 29th April at 11:59, and I am hoping you feel able to submit a response or write to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on behalf of cancer patients, their loved ones, and all those impacted by this devastating disease. Cancer care in the UK is facing a critical challenge. The 62-day cancer waiting time target — which measures the time from urgent referral to first treatment — has consistently been missed. In a typical month, only around 66% of patients receive treatment within this timeframe, well below the Government’s target of 85%. These are more than just statistics, these are people’s lives. Fast diagnosis hand-in-hand with fast treatment is the proven way to better patient outcomes and survival rates. Fortunately, solutions do already exist that can help reduce waiting times and save lives. One of the most effective is radiotherapy. This modern, highly targeted and versatile form of treatment is required by more than half of all cancer patients. It is not only clinically effective but also offers exceptional value for money. Despite this, the UK continues to underinvest in radiotherapy services and infrastructure. By the end of 2025, an estimated 64 radiotherapy machines in England will be operating beyond their recommended lifespan, with an additional 60 machines going out of date by the end of 2027. Outdated machines breakdown more frequently, meaning fewer patients will be treated. Even with the £70m allocated for radiotherapy machines in the 2024 Budget, this will only replace half of the current out of date machines. According to Radiotherapy UK, a leading charity in this space, a fully funded, year on year radiotherapy machinery replacement plan could potentially free up 87,000 new treatment appointments per year. The radiotherapy workforce is highly skilled and multidisciplinary, yet relatively small in number compared to other areas of cancer care: approximately 6,500 staff deliver over 160,000 lifesaving courses of treatment every year in the UK. The current radiotherapy workforce is severely depleted, causing delays to treatment and significantly contributing to the increase in patients not meeting the key 62-day target for starting urgent cancer treatment. Overall, the radiotherapy workforce is operating at between 10%-15% below the numbers of professionals required for the service. We strongly urge the Government to adopt a robust workforce strategy for the radiotherapy sector. The upcoming National Cancer Plan represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to change course and get cancer care back on track. I urge you to use your voice to call for smart, life-saving investment in radiotherapy as an imminently available, easily scalable technology that can save lives. Once more, if you felt able to submit a response to the consultation or write personally to the Secretary of State I would be incredibly grateful Yours sincerely,

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