Funding urgently needed to tackle Cumbria’s cancer crisis, MP tells Minister

On the floor of the House of Commons yesterday, local MP Tim Farron challenged Treasury ministers to invest in reducing the backlog of cancer patients in Cumbria waiting months for vital treatment.

It comes as the latest NHS figures revealed that more than two in five cancer patients (41.6%) in North Cumbria are waiting more than two months to start their treatment.

Meanwhile in Morecambe Bay, almost one in three (30.4%) patients waited more than 62 days for their first treatment.

The NHS target is for 85% of patients to be seen within two months, following an ‘Urgent Suspected Cancer Referral’, or ‘Urgent Screening Referral’.

Speaking during a debate in Parliament on the budget, Tim said: “Is the Minister aware that thousands of people in this country would love to work and be productive, but cannot because they are living with cancer? Cancer is not only a threat to people’s life, but it also limits their ability to earn a living.

“I am sure that she is aware that a third of people diagnosed with cancer wait two months for their first intervention that will help to cure them. Is there any room in the capital spending that she set out for large-scale investment in radiotherapy, as suggested by the all-party parliamentary group for radiotherapy?

“That would help to cure people more quickly and in a more targeted way, so that there is no collateral damage, and people can go back to work much sooner.”

In response, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Laura Trott MP said: “I thank the honourable gentlemen for his intervention, and I praise him for his work that he has done on this very important issue, and I know that the capital money we are putting in will help with issues exactly like the ones he’s highlighted.”