Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG) has joined 46 other charities in calling upon the UK and devolved nations’ governments to put cancer patients at the centre of their COVID-19 recovery plans.
In a statement released today (Tuesday, March 16), the One Cancer Voice charity coalition highlights the importance of the governments across the UK quickly turning their ambitions of restoring and transforming cancer services into a reality.
One Cancer Voice urges swift action in directing resources to not only getting UK cancer services back to pre-pandemic levels, but to work towards them becoming world-leading to achieve improvements to survival rates and patients’ quality of life.
Sent to 50 stakeholders in positions to affect change, the One Cancer Voice statement outlines nine key recommendations to the UK’s governments and NHS leaders. It asks them to:
- Direct resources to clear the cancer backlog as quickly as possible
- Continue to encourage people with signs and symptoms of cancer to seek help from their GP
- Expand the number of staff in key cancer professions
- Drive earlier and faster diagnosis
- Ensure personalised care and support for all
- Strengthen the UK’s medical Research & Design base to accelerate improvements in cancer outcomes
- Resource high quality end of life care
- Be bolder in measures to prevent cancer
- Reduce inequalities in cancer outcomes
An extract from the statement reads: “The case for investment, innovation and change is a social one, an economic one and a moral one.
“We urgently need bold political will and leadership.
“Decisions made now will determine whether we live up to the existing cancer ambitions set by the UK Governments, and drastically improve the lives of people affected by cancer.
“The cancer community stands ready to work with governments across the UK to turn ambition into reality for all cancer patients.”
You can read the full statement here.