Putney’s MP, Fleur Anderson, has welcomed the Government’s landmark new National Cancer Plan, which aims to ensure that three in four people diagnosed with cancer from 2035 onwards are cancer-free or living well after five years.
The ambitious plan represents the fastest improvement in cancer outcomes this century and is expected to save 320,000 more lives over its lifetime. It also commits the NHS to meeting all cancer waiting time standards by March 2029, so that hundreds of thousands more patients begin treatment within 62 days of referral.
Speaking in Parliament, Fleur Anderson highlighted the importance of the Plan’s chapter on young people with cancer, as well as the vital role of charities in shaping the strategy.
Fleur Anderson MP said: “I’m delighted to welcome the new National Cancer Plan, written with people across the country and experts in prevention, treatment and care.
This is a bold and much-needed step forward to improve survival rates and ensure patients not only live longer, but live well after a cancer diagnosis. I was particularly encouraged by the chapter on children and young people. I raised in Parliament the fantastic work of Young Lives vs Cancer, who have campaigned for a Travel Fund for young people and children with cancer for so long. I’m absolutely delighted to see that travel support in place – it will make a real difference to families facing huge emotional and financial pressures.
I also asked the Minister to continue working with Team Margot, a charity led by a Roehampton family, and the Anthony Nolan Trust to increase stem cell donation, particularly among ethnically diverse communities where there remains a serious shortage of donors. The memory of little Margot, who tragically died from leukaemia aged just two, has inspired thousands to register as donors. We must build on that legacy and save more lives.
As someone who works closely with families in Putney affected by cancer, I know how vital faster diagnosis, quicker treatment and proper long-term support are. This plan gives real hope to patients here in Putney and across the country.”
Currently, around 60% of patients survive for five years or more after a cancer diagnosis, and approximately 2.4 million people are living after a cancer diagnosis in the UK. However, cancer waiting time targets have not been consistently met since 2014. Under the new Plan, the NHS will expand access to cutting-edge diagnostics and robot-assisted surgery, continue the roll-out of community diagnostic centres, including those serving south west London, and take further action on cancer prevention, including a generational smoking ban and restrictions on junk food advertising before 9pm.
The plan is also the first which includes a specific focus on rare and less common cancers, ensuring they have parity. More patients with rarer cancers will have their care reviewed and treated at specialist cancer centres, where they can benefit from the expertise of the best cancer doctors. These centres bring together surgeons, oncologists, specialist nurses and radiologists to agree the best treatment plan for each case.
Fleur has pledged to continue working with local health services, charities and patient groups to ensure residents in Putney benefit fully from the improvements set out in the Plan.
