MP urges Health Secretary to stop overlooking cancer crisis

On the floor of the House of Commons this week, South Lakes MP Tim Farron asked Health Secretary Sajid Javid to treat tackling the cancer backlog with the same urgency as the vaccine roll-out.

It comes as the charity Macmillan Cancer Support are warning that almost 50,000 people with cancer have not been diagnosed because of the pandemic and its toll on the NHS.

Speaking during a statement on covid regulations in Parliament, Tim said: "Can I ask the Secretary of State to pay special attention to something that the Government have overlooked too much over the past two years, which is to invest in catching up with cancer?

"What the Government have done through this period is do a great job on vaccine roll-out, but I would love to see them show the same ringfenced dedication and commitment to catching up with cancer, given that we know that at least 50,000 additional people will lose their lives as a consequence of the covid situation."

Responding, Sajid Javid said: "The honourable gentleman is right to talk about the importance of cancer and he will know that it remains a priority for the NHS.

"That is one reason why recently, when the Government set out the extra catch-up funding for the NHS over the next three years to pay for a lot more elective operations and diagnosis, cancer was a priority in that."