Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Target Ovarian Cancer Voices of women with ovarian cancer: the coronavirus pandemic and its impact, published on 13 July; and what steps they are taking to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the diagnosis and treatment of, and support for, women with ovarian cancer.

No assessment has been made.

On 8 June 2020, the National Cancer Director and the National Clinical Director for Cancer issued a further letter of guidance to National Health Service cancer services on Second phase of NHS response to COVID-19 for cancer services. The letter notes 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. The new guidance is based on three key principles: capacity, fairness and confidence. Cancer Alliances should work with their regional teams to provide such services.