The Faculty of Public Health welcomes the Government’s National Cancer Plan which sets out a bold, evidence-led vision to reduce inequalities and transform cancer outcomes in England by 2035.
Cancer continues to be a leading public health challenge and in recent years we have seen progress stagnate. England now lags behind comparable countries, with the impact felt most acutely in the most disadvantaged communities.
The National Cancer Plan represents a critical opportunity to address these inequalities and deliver meaningful improvement in preventing, diagnosing, and treating cancer.
FPH welcomes the Government’s ambition for three‑quarters of people diagnosed with cancer to be cancer-free or living well for at least five years by 2035 - an increase that could save an estimated 320,000 lives over the lifetime of the plan. This represents one of the most significant commitments to improving cancer outcomes in a generation.
FPH supports the Government's plan to focus on:
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Earlier and faster diagnosis (with commitments for the NHS to meet all its cancer waiting time targets by 2029).
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Expanded access to modern diagnostics and research (including AI and robotics).
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Strengthening local cancer services (ensuring all regions, whether rural, coastal or urban, benefit from high‑quality, timely and consistent care).
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A renewed focus on prevention (acknowledging that a substantial proportion of cancers remain preventable through action on tobacco, alcohol, excessive UV exposure, diet and wider health inequalities).
Welcoming the Government’s National Cancer Plan, FPH President Professor Tracy Daszkiewicz
said:
“This new plan outlines a clear an ambitious vision to improve cancer outcomes in England and – crucially – recognises the importance of narrowing the stark inequalities we see in these outcomes.
The Faculty looks forward to working with our members to play an active role in implementing this plan and collaborating with cross-system partners to ensure that improvements reach communities across England.”
View The National Cancer Plan for England here.
