Local MP, Caroline Dinenage, has warmly welcomed the news that the NHS has received a £200 million cash boost to fund new equipment to improve cancer screening and diagnosis.
One in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime, with a fifty percent survival rate in the UK. This funding is estimated to help ensure that 55 000 more people survive cancer each year as patients diagnosed at stages one or two have the best chance of long-term survival. The NHS is also introducing rapid diagnostic and assessment centres.
The newer CT scanners will not only be able to identify cancers quicker, but also a range of other health conditions.
As part of the NHS Long Term Plan, the government has committed to helping beat cancer through diagnosing three quarters of cancers at an early stage by 2028.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:
“The NHS is the best healthcare service in the world, and the treatment and care it provides is one reason cancer survival rates are at a record high.
“But too many lives are still being lost to this shattering illness. We can, must, and will do so much more for sufferers and their families.
“These new scanners will lead to quicker diagnosis, more screenings, and improved care for patients, giving brilliant NHS staff the tools they need to further boost survival rates.
“It’s my priority to make sure our NHS gets every penny it needs to provide the very best care ‒ wherever you live, and whatever your condition.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said:
“I want to see the way we fight cancer in the NHS transformed, so we can confront this cruel disease with the best facilities to give our family, friends and colleagues the greatest chance.
“I’m determined to get cutting-edge equipment into hospitals across the country so that clinical staff are equipped with the best technology available for patients.
“This will be the first step in reaching our ambition through the NHS Long Term Plan of becoming a global leader in cancer diagnosis, saving the lives of tens of thousands more people each year.”
This funding is supported by the extra £33.9 billion spending commitment to the NHS every year, including £210 million for frontline staff and £2 billion to upgrade 20 hospitals and new equipment and AI research.
Caroline commented:
“We all know someone who has been affected by cancer, from neighbours to friends and family. It is a devastating disease that we need to fight head on.
“I am pleased to see that this funding will go into ensuring that those with cancer have the best possible chance of survival.”