Oral Answers to Questions

David Evennett Excerpts

Tuesday 23rd October 2018 Commons Chamber

[Sir David Evennett (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Con)]

10. What steps he is taking to increase the rate of early diagnosis of cancer.

[Kwasi Kwarteng (Spelthorne) (Con)]

11. What steps he is taking to increase the rate of early diagnosis of cancer.

[The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Matt Hancock)]

Britain is world leading at treating cancer when it is discovered, but we do not diagnose it early enough, so we will radically overhaul our screening programmes, roll out rapid diagnostic centres for people with early symptoms, and expand mobile lung screening units. Our ambition is to ensure that three quarters of cancers are diagnosed at stage 1 or 2 by 2028, up from half today.

[Sir David Evennett]

May I first highlight the excellent Guy’s Cancer Centre at Queen Mary’s hospital in Sidcup, a state-of-the-art facility which offers local cancer patients treatment closer to home? Secondly, can my right hon. Friend provide any detail on how the NHS long-term plan will improve cancer services?

[Matt Hancock]

Yes. Focusing on early diagnosis will help to save lives. Indeed, the cancer survival rates have never been higher than they are now. About 7,000 people who are alive today would not have been had mortality rates stayed the same as they were in 2010. However, we want to use the most cutting-edge technologies in order to save more lives.