Plans to enhance cancer care in rural and coastal areas have been announced, aimed at addressing the disparities often referred to as the ‘postcode lottery’ of healthcare. The government intends to increase the number of cancer specialists in hospitals outside of major urban centres, where shortages are most pronounced.
Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary who himself overcame kidney cancer, emphasized the need for equitable healthcare. “Patients in underserved areas deserve the same shot at survival and quality of life as everyone else,” he stated. The initiative will be outlined in the upcoming National Cancer Plan, set to be released on February 4, 2026, coinciding with World Cancer Day.
The strategy includes creating additional training positions in hospitals facing significant staff shortages. By collaborating with royal medical colleges, the government aims to encourage more doctors to specialize in clinical and medical oncology, thereby increasing the availability of specialists in high-need regions.
Economic Disparities and Health Outcomes
The areas most affected by these shortages often experience higher rates of economic inactivity, with delays in cancer treatment contributing to prolonged absences from the workforce. This situation not only impacts individual patients but also hampers local economies. Streeting highlighted the connection between timely cancer detection and returning individuals to their jobs and families more quickly.
Innovations in diagnostic technology will also be a key focus of the National Cancer Plan. The government plans to introduce advanced tests and devices at a faster pace, ensuring that they are available in hospitals across the country, rather than being limited to facilities that engage heavily in research.
Streeting asserted, “Faster diagnosis doesn’t just save lives – it gets people back to work and back to their families sooner.” He reiterated the commitment to end health inequalities that have persisted in England over the past 15 years.
Assessment of New Technologies
Starting in April 2027, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) will evaluate new tests and devices designed to detect cancer earlier. If approved, these innovations will be made available across the National Health Service (NHS), similar to the current process for new medications.
The first technologies to be assessed include artificial intelligence tools that analyze chest X-rays for lung cancer detection, software for examining tissue samples related to prostate and breast cancers, and techniques to investigate unexplained vaginal bleeding. Additionally, NICE will evaluate the “sponge on a string” test for oesophageal cancer, which involves patients swallowing a small capsule that collects cells for analysis.
According to Professor Jonathan Benger, Chief Executive of NICE, the organization’s mission has evolved to ensure that access to health technologies is as equitable as access to medicines. “These reforms mean that clinically and cost-effective medical devices, diagnostics, and digital tools will start to be reimbursed and made available consistently across the NHS,” Benger stated.
Current Performance and Future Goals
Recent figures from NHS England indicate that 76.5 percent of patients urgently referred for suspected cancer received a diagnosis or had their cancer ruled out within 28 days in November. However, this figure varies significantly across different trusts, ranging from 54.5 percent to 100 percent.
There remains a stark contrast between patients who have had cancer ruled out and those who have received a diagnosis. In November, 78.0 percent of those ruled out were informed within 28 days, while only 55.1 percent of patients had their cancer confirmed in that same timeframe. The proportion of patients waiting no longer than 62 days from urgent referral to definitive treatment rose to 70.2 percent, a slight increase from 68.8 percent in October.
Steven McIntosh, Chief Partnerships Officer at Macmillan Cancer Support, emphasized the urgency of these reforms, stating, “Right now, cancer care isn’t fair. Too many aren’t getting the treatment and care they need because of who they are and where they live, and rural and coastal communities often have the worst outcomes.”
As the National Cancer Plan unfolds, Professor Peter Johnson, National Clinical Director for Cancer at NHS England, affirmed that the initiative aims to address disparities in care “head-on.” With these measures, the government seeks to provide all patients, regardless of their location, with access to world-class cancer care, thereby improving health outcomes for underserved populations across the country.
