Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the Government plans to publish its plans for cancer services to enable people living with cancer to receive necessary treatment and care.

On 8 June 2020, the National Cancer Director and the National Clinical Director for Cancer issued further guidance to NHS cancer services on the second phase of the NHS response to COVID-19 for cancer services. The states that the work for local systems and Cancer Alliances to identify ring-fenced diagnostic and surgical capacity for cancer should now be well advanced, 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. Cancer Alliances should work with their regional teams to provide these essential services.

This includes focussing on reducing the number of over 62-day waiters on cancer pathways, particularly rescheduling diagnostic procedures or treatment for those who have had their care delayed by the pandemic.