Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the cancer care backlog in (a) Penrith and The Border and (b) Cumbria.

The Department committed an additional £8 billion from 2022/23 to 2024/25, in addition to the £2 billion Elective Recovery Fund and £700 million targeted Investment Fund made available last financial year, 2021/2022, to increase capacity in elective services, including for cancer care.

£2.3 billion was awarded at the Spending Review 2021 to transform diagnostic services over the next three years. Most of this will help increase the number of Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) up to 160 by March 2025. These new CDCs have included Penrith CDC (a large hub), which opened in October 2021.

Across Cumbria, the local Cancer Alliances work with together with hospitals, general practices, local authorities, charities, and other support organisations to detect cancer as early as possible, improve results for patients, and provide the best possible patient experience.