MP challenges Health Secretary to tackle Cumbria’s cancer crisis

In Parliament this evening, South Lakes MP Tim Farron pleaded with the Health Secretary to intervene over waiting times for cancer treatment in Cumbria.

Speaking during a Health Statement in the House of Commons, Tim said: "Patients living with cancer and their families and the outstanding cancer workforce will be staggered, as am I, that we just had a statement on NHS pressures with no serious plan being put forward for tackling the deadly cancer backlog.

"17,000 cancer patients in the last three months had their targets for cancer treatment delayed and missed. 43% of people diagnosed with cancer in South Cumbria waited more than two months for their first lifesaving treatment.

"In North Cumbria, 63% of those people diagnosed with cancer waited more than two months for their first treatment. So where is the urgent plan to tackle the cancer backlog?

"And on a very practical and cross-party level, will he attend or one of his ministers attend the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Radiotherapy's Inquiry on the 18th of January, so we can work together to come up with some quick technical solutions that will actually save lives?"

Responding, the Secretary of State for Health, Steven Barclay said: "So firstly, it's worth just pointing out to the House that 92% of new patients are starting their cancer treatment within four weeks, but also to the substance of his point, that is exactly why we're rolling out the programme of community diagnostic centres.

"It's why we've got the surgical hubs programme in order to prioritise those cancer treatments and also, given that it was a central part of the statement today, it is rather surprising that the major investment bringing the potential of cancer world-leading cancer vaccines from our life science strategy, which could be absolutely transformational for cancer patients, wasn't even referenced there.

"And it's something I hope he does support because it has the potential to be a game changer."