The MP for Wokingham, Clive Jones, questioned has questionjed whethee Kier Starmer will ensure the 62-day target for cancer patients to begin treatment will be guaranteed by the National Cancer Plan..
Clive Jones’ question in Wednesdy’s Prime Minister’s Questions comes during Breast Cancer Awareness month, which aims to raise awareness for the most common cancer in the UK according to Cancer Research UK.
The Wokingham MP began by raising Breast Cancer Now’s concerning statistic that the target for cancer patients beginning treatment within 62-day has not been met by any NHS trust for a decade.
The Liberal Democrat MP attributed this as being the “legacy of the last Conservative government.”
Jones also raised that if this target had been met in each month of 2025 so far, nearly 3,000 breast cancer patients would have begun treatment on time.
In closing, the Wokingham MP asked: “Will the Prime Minister ensure the National Cancer Plan, which I called for a year ago, makes it possible for this 62-day target to be met, along with recruiting much-needed cancer specialists, and replacing outdated equipment.”
In response, the Prime Minister said: “We are investing £600m to improve the diagnostic capacity and rolling out new radiotherapy machines including in his local trust I am pleased to say.
“We have seen real improvements; 48,000 more people now have cancer diagnosed or ruled out within 28 days, but I acknowledge there is more to do on this.
“The National Cancer Plan will set out how we will go further and deliver the best care for every patient.”
Following the PMQs, Clive Jones, the Liberal Democrat MP for Wokingham said:
“Meeting the 62-day treatment target is vital for patients living with breast cancer, and the fact that this has not been met in the last 0 years is absolutely unacceptable.
“The Conservatives’ neglect of the NHS workforce and cancer care during their 4 years in Government has caused thousands of breast cancer patients to miss out on timely treatment of the disease.
“It is now up to the Labour government to rectify this unfortunate legacy, and I welcome the £600m investment and the Prime Minister’s response acknowledging that there is significantly more work to be done to address these systemic issues.
“In order for essential work to be done, there can be no further delays to the National Cancer Plan – a strategy that is vital to the outcomes of treatments for breast cancer patients that simply cannot afford to face current waiting times at one of the most vulnerable times of their lives.”
