Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with NHS England and Health Education England regarding staff shortages in the cancer workforce.

Health Education England (HEE) is developing its cancer workforce strategy for consultation from March 2017 onwards. HEE produced an initial workforce baseline review in 2016 and shared it with partners, such as the National Cancer Advisory Group, Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support, as a starting point for conversations around the cancer workforce.

Ministers regularly meet with HEE to discuss workforce matters, including the progress HEE has made on its commitment to deliver a workforce with the right skills and competences to deliver high-quality modern cancer services. HEE also has representation on the National Cancer Transformation Board, the body responsible for implementing the recommendations of the independent Cancer Taskforce.