Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect on health outcomes of (a) delayed and (b) cancelled treatments for patients with (i) multiple myeloma and (ii) other blood cancers during the covid-19 pandemic.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) published data on Friday 5 May 2020 showing that there has been no significant increase in excess mortality from cancers with a moderate survival rate between January to May 2020.

NHS England and NHS Improvement issued clear guidance that essential and urgent cancer treatments must continue. Local systems and Cancer Alliances were asked to identify ring-fenced diagnostic and surgical capacity for cancer, so that referrals, diagnostics and treatment can be brought back to pre-pandemic levels at the earliest opportunity to minimise potential harm, and to reduce the scale of the post-pandemic surge in demand.