Thank you for contacting me about access to cancer treatment and care.
I share your urgency that we reduce the backlog of cancer care that built up during the pandemic. The Government is investing £8 billion to 2025 to help deliver nine million checks, scans, and operations by 2025, and expand the number of surgical hubs across the country.
As part of the 2021 Spending Review, £2.3 billion was committed to expand Community Diagnostic Centres, which will offer rapid access to clinical tests and life-saving checks closer to home. These centres have already delivered over 1.7 million additional checks and tests and will play an important role in helping to reduce waiting times. During the pandemic, the country’s endeavour was used to tackle the virus and the Government is committed to applying this same spirit to tackling cancer. The Government is funding a new £10m Community Diagnostic Centre at St Mary’s which will speed up vital tests, checks and scans helping drive down waiting lists and ultimately save more lives.
The Government recognises that tackling major conditions that cause ill-health - including cancer - provides an opportunity to improve the lives of millions of people. That is why a Major Conditions Strategy will be published shortly to outline how outcomes in six major condition areas will be improved, including cancer.
This strategy will allow for a renewed focus on innovative treatments and diagnosing cancer earlier to improve outcomes, boosting the cancer workforce, and preventing more cancers from occurring.
In addition to the investment in the new Community Diagnostic Centre at St Marys, the Hospital is one of 20 which is benefiting from new Government funding to upgrade outdated facilities and equipment. This includes improvements worth £6.4m to the intensive care unit, a £12.2m new emergency care floor and £5.1m for acute bed reconfiguration as well as a £6.7m integrated mental health and community hub in Newport High Street. In addition, the Isle of Wight NHS has also been awarded a further £9m (in addition to the £12.5m already secured) to modernise digital technology, IT infrastructure and clinical systems.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.