I’ve been getting quite a few emails asking me to support Cancer Research UK’s campaign to make cancer an election issue. I’m really pleased to support this campaign and have signed CRUK’s pledge asking candidates to raise the profile of cancer issues.
I used to work for Cancer Research UK as they were a lead member of the Cancer Campaigning Group, a cancer charity coalition, I used to advise on some of their political campaigns. I worked on the campaign to introduce a new Cancer plan a few years ago to reflect that the huge investment in new drugs, staff and facilities invested in cancer care since 1997 meant the original cancer plan, introduced by Labour, needed to be updated. This campaign was a success and the government introduced the second cancer plan, catchily called the Cancer Reform Strategy a few years ago now.This revised plan is delivering greater detection rates, fewer cancer deaths and a better care all round regardless of ability to pay which is fantastic.
I’m a strong believer in investing in cancer care and supported the two week target for patients getting their test results having seen their GP. I furthermore support efforts to reduce that time to a week. I regret that the Tories still oppose these targets and indeed are committed to scrapping them if they win the next election. I am concerned that Tory plans for the NHS would not deliver improvements in cancer care, indeed I believe they’d deliver quite the opposite.
Labour has our own cancer campaign that you might want to have a look at http://www.votenhs.com/ – you’ll see the figures showing cancer treatment improvements in the last year, especially in the south west, are impressive. This is in part down to the investment and commitment shown by government but also down to the handwork and dedication of our NHS professionals and charities like Cancer Research UK who have kept cancer on the political agenda.
I agree that cancer should be an election issue. We have a choice between a Labour government pledged to reduce the time between going to your GP and getting your cancer test results to a week and a Tory party who have said they will remove this right for patients.
UPDATE: Cancer Research UK have seen this post and sent me this tweet
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