General Election 2019: cancer fact checker

When will Cancer Research advise people that consuming animal products is a massive contributor to cancer. If people eliminated meat, eggs and dairy from their diet it would decrease the development of cancer and therefore reduce the demand on the nhs. Please can this be encouraged so that we all live healthier lives.

Thank you Helen for your post . I agree with you strongly . I am a retired doctor and had treatments for cancer 3 years ago . The team who looked after me were so kind , and professional and hardworking Even 3 years ago there were signs that fantastic radiology team and pathology team were struggling with sheer quantity of work . In these times of disinformation it is vital that the facts are communicated Thank you CRUK for your efforts and integrity .

My wife had breast cancer a while ago and the treatment was amazing and because of the prompt reaction by the NHS and the hard work of Cancer research she made a full recovery. I think we all know there are not enough doctors and nurses but I do think that before the government starts throwing billions of pounds at the NHS it should make shore that they get rid of all the waste and duplication. E.G. My friend has hundreds of pounds worth of medical equipment that he was given following a prostate operation it is unused and factory sealed yet he has been told to throw it away as the hospital doesn’t want it. There is appsolutly nothing wrong with it. If you multiply that by the thousands of people who are in similar situations you can see why the NHS is in such a state.

Absolutely excellent information thank you so much- so helpful to receive clarity on these issues – I choose not to engage with egoic political campaigns so really value reputable sources of fact!

A bladder cancer 3 month cystoscopy check was eventually carried out after 10 months. Fortunately all is well.

I was a cancer patient at The Christie in Manchester and thanks to the wonderful staff there I am now in my 12th year of remission. I have been looking at the management structure of the NHS on line and am appalled to see 8 levels of management. Is this really necessary? The term “too many chiefs and not enough indians” comes to mind. The NHS needs massive investment now and in the future. It’s allvery well saying they are going to recruit tens of thousands of nurses and doctors – where from? How long will it take to train them? Does it take into account the number of people who will be retiring from the profession? Sorry but it’s just numbers to me.

Poverty is a major factor in ill health. Our society is unequal, in spite of it being rich. Things such as obesity and unhealthy lifestyles often come down to poverty and inequality. This isn’t to blame the poor. Good food can be expensive, and if you’re on a low income junk food is cheap and can give you a ‘lift’. Calories are cheap, nutrition often not so. More equal societies enjoy better health, physical and mental.

What is the £34 billion in real terms?

In 1998 I was diagnosed with bladder cancer. 17 years later I got the all clear ,that was in 2015 The problem is in there joined up wisdom they never thought to keep an eye on me and check me over to perhaps see if there was a dormant cancer cell lurking? Once every 2 or 3 years. would seem a prudent coarse of action.2019 and bladder cancer is back with a vengeance.So imagine if these cancer experts would have used some ever day commen sense it could been dealt with far better than the more advanced state it is in today.All that extraordinary work you good people do was let down by a team of experts who probably thought they were saving money and getting good clear up results.

I feel that more money people and commitment should be put into the Hospitals.
The Politician are messing about with real peoples lives. I think we should make sure they do what we ask of by putting them in charge of the Country. They act like spoilt Children , in fact they are worse than them.

Well if the GMC are going to make it harder and harder for doctors to come in to the profession by inducing exams like UKMLA then it’s going to put doctors off to join in the first place staff will either leave or wont cope up with the stress after studying 6 years in medical school they need help in training and support but rather gmc makes it difficult each year

Well said Helen. Speaking both as a nurse and a cancer patient, you hit the nail on the head. Well done for continuing your valued work role. Wishing you the very best in your treatment/recovery. From a member of the NHS. Xx

No political party in recent history has ever planned the infrastructure for health and other essential services in line with population growth. Muddling through is beginning to show and increasing political point-scoring meddling is abhorrent.

I was diagnosed with Myeloma, stage 3 and have received fantastic treatment from the NHS.

What is clear from my treatment is that a clinician lead service is much more preferable to one that is management led. I can see major improvements in my hospital since I was first diagnosed in 2010.

Secondly, the NHS needs to have cross-party support to develop a long-term strategy for the service rather than a series of short-term changes in policy. A lot of the changes imposed are complete nonsense and defy the wishes of the clinicians and the patients.

The various plans being discussed need to be compared to other European countries with similar mixed populations to see what resource levels are employed and available. The resources quoted herein I suggest are not possible even in the long term. Therefore a plan that considers how say France, Germany and other European countries manage resources and compare budgets to check for parallels. The NHS in its present form is obviously not working as people would like and in my lifetime no Government of any colour has solved the problems.

I don’t see that CR are behaving in a political manner.
As a cancer patient and Nurse working in a Cancer Hospital , I see the perspective of patients and staff.
As a patient , I saw with a nurses eyes how hard all hospital colleagues worked to provide timely care and emotional support for all patients. It’s not hard to see how busy they were working . Looking exhausted but still smiling , caring and treating patients with dignity and respect despite low staffing levels, high patient numbers and long shifts.
I have no doubt that if the NHS was privatised most patients would not be able to afford the cost of a medical health policy to cover care costs and medication especially if they have life limiting diseases. These are the facts . I can understand if you feel uncomfortable or annoyed about your political parties being judged, but all CR are doing is stating facts, and campaigning for timely access to treatment for all cancer sufferers regardless of political persuasion , nationality or culture. You may choose to rebuke them , stop donating , whatever . Just try to remember that in doing this the only people to suffer will be the ones who need and really truly gratefully receive your help.
CR helped me and my profession and Hospital. Following major life changing surgery and chemo I am still able to continue to work thanks to the research of CR and other charities , also the demanding and excellent work (hard work )of all my colleagues who provide the service .They made sure I’m still here, being with my family, colleagues and patients . That would be my wish for all NHS patients.

Very enlightening facts and figures. It really puts into context the sums needed to be given just to invest in not only staff but also medicines and hospitals.

Thank you for providing this information x

Isn’t it telling that the facts as stated throw a very different light on the state of the health service. As a nation we need our politicians to have cross party agreement on how the nhs is funded and maintained.

WHY ARE YOU GETTING INVOLVED WITH POLITICS ??? YOU ARE NOT POLITICALLY NEUTRAL AS YOU CLAIM BECAUSE THIS ARTICLE OPENLY PROMOTES THE LABOUR PARTY AS BEING THE “FREIND” OF THE NHS. I FOR ONE WILL BE WITHDRAWING MY SUPPORT TO YOUR CAUSE, WHICH SADDENS ME GREATLY HAVING BEEN A CANCER SUFFERER FOR 12 YEARS!

Very informative.

Absolutely shocking and alarming. Something really needs to be sorted. Hope the next party to be elected can get their heads together and do something that is vital to help bring our NHS to a excellent service that was.j

Where are the Scottish figures? Very disappointed you haven’t done the same work on them

I’m very unhappy with such a political article.
Fact and figures can be easily distorted and I believe you are just as culpable here.

I don’t think that as a charity you should be getting involved in political lobbying. The NHS is a priority for all parties -but, for example, Governments first priority is defense of the realm. Social care is also up there – perhaps education is even more important than health. Economics matters – scarce resources have to be allocated sensibly – this is not your role !!!

I remain a supporter!

I would rather know the Scottish statistics.

Good to get the true facts rather than political spin.

Why is cancer research getting politically involved I’m so disappointed, so disappointed I’m considering cancelling my donation and giving it to one of the many other good causes. Shame on you.

I think the information here is factual and useful. Some of the other comments see it as political and even party political on the day before an election. But facts are facts, and these seem to me to be broadly drawn and without bias. Whether you conclude that the NHS is not working well in the current funding climate and therefore we must supply more public funds, or that it is not working well and more public funding is not feasible so we must privatise, or that it is working adequately and we should simply carry on is entirely up to the reader.

I am thinking that if CR start dabbling in politics they will alienate some of their benefactors. I would advise CR to give this sort of thing a wide berth.

Thank you for the information, our NHS is the greatest asset to the UK, Doctor’s and Nurses should only work a max 40 hrs a week, many work 60 plus, hence they are stressed, to much money given to managers, and top hospital administrators.

I am pleased that CR has written this, I can’t see any reference to which politician said anything referred to do how can it be seen as political if they are just stating facts ad they know them? Personally, I think the days of the NHS are numbered and it is only a matter of time before everyone realises that the only way we will get a better health service is to privatise the entire lot. I have visited hospitals in two other countries and on both occasions, I was blown away by how clean and efficient they were. While I have nothing but admiration for our NHS front line staff, they can’t deliver a service without the proper funding and management and if that means running it as a business, then crack on for a better world!

After a recent spell in our local hospital from lung disease, I was treated s well by all the nurses and staff in the respiratory ward, however I did notice quite a lot of wastage,not just in equipment, but by some of the night staff, who seemed to spend a lot of time in Idol chatter, a few f the nurses, male and female, had a job communicating with me, due to language, some of whom could not grasp basic English.
If the NHS sorted out this problem, as well as “Passport patient’s” paying for treatment beforehand, this will also save money, I agree with another of the comments, that immigrants and asylum seekers, should have to pay into the system before getting any treatment. As in Australia, where as the Government make you pay a large amount of money, if you were to go there to stay?
From an ordinary point of view, Yes the NHS does need a good shake up if it is to succeed n the real world.
As an after thought, I was diagnosed last year, by have only just started to get oxygen treatment.

I’m shocked my favourite charity is entering political debate. Where are u getting your figures from? How can this information be scrutinised? Why are some of your comments relating to general information about the NHS completely outside of your remit? Please stop this! I have donated to Cancer research for decades

Why are you getting political?? This changes my view of CR.

It’s not the job of a charity that I donate too to try to gain political points for any party which I feel is what you are doing.

When the NHS came into existence people didn’t live as long as they do now. Medicines were cheaper as was equipment and Doctors and nurses were in abundance. As medicine has moved on, it has become expensive to develop new drugs and medical equipment has improved Immensely, again becoming more expensive. The bottom line is that funding for the NHS has not kept up with the costs to run it. If it was a business, such as Ford or a major retailer, it would have gone bust a long time ago, before the turn of the century. The NHS needs an urgent revamp and more money than this country can currently afford to sort it out. Every political party needs to stop fighting and get their heads together and look at what our priorities are as a country or we will lose the NHS.

People moving to the UK to live should have to pay into the NHS for five years before they can use it’s facilities. And if they have large families. they should pay more if those family members are not paying NHS contributions.

A lot more needs to go into educating people to lead healthier lives, eating healthier foods and cutting down their consumption of sugar and processed foods, and helping to reduce pollution by not having cars so that cancer is prevented. I am sure I am not the only one to think that encouraging people to eat cake in order to raise money for a cause is not a good idea. Macmillan Cancer Care charity is also guilty of this. There are better ways to raise more money and the emphasis should be on prevention.

Despite what Polititions from ALL parties say don’t think there will ever be enough money to fully fund the NHS. I think this is due in part to expensive equipment and technology and drugs. Another reason is people now live much longer. Complex illnesses also seem to be on the increase
I also feel that once doctors and nurses have qualified in this country should have to work in the UK for at least 5 years.

I worked in the NHS for many years as a GP, and think of it as the NSS. The National Statistic and Secretarial Service. I retired twenty years ago, and am glad I did. I can’t see how the service will cope with increasing demands of an elderly population.

I have been diagnosed with two forms of cancer during the past 13 years. Prostate cancer in 2007 and Leukaemia in early 2018. I have received fantastic and timely treatment on the NHS for both and I’m still here living a full and active life at 79.
I think the only way to resolve the current problems is to ‘depoliticise’ the health service and get cross party cooperation to sorry things out. The solution will take longer than the 5 year parliamentary term and most politicians are only interested in getting re-elected rather than looking at anything longer term.
So let’s take it out of politics and get health professionals making the decisions.

I am a cancer survivor in remission I was diagnosed early and received treatment within two weeks of diagnosis my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer and also was operated on within two weeks of diagnosis we cannot praise our nhs enough and owe our lives to this fantastic service figures can be manipulated by all parties to promote negative or positive views of our NHS and we should all do all we can to keep supporting them even if it requires paying higher taxes what price is a life worth ?that’s the real question .

The NHS needs reorganising, not necessarily more money. Stop staff retiring at 55 on large pensions, keep them in the workplace until 65, mentoring junior staff. This would reduce stress and reduce the need for expensive agency staff.
Management could be reduced with little effect at ground level reducing spending.
Put nurse training back into hospitals with clinical tutors and pay student nurses to work and learn, they will have a sense of pride and responsibility to their hospital.
Ensure all trained staff stay in the NHS for min 10 years or have to pay training costs.
We have an NHS service to be proud of. Let’s make it efficient.

I work for the NHS nobody can tell me how short staffed we are. The problem is over population to the number of hospitals and staff that we have available. More staff are needed if they come from abroad. Where are they going to live? There are no houses? One problem leads to another.

Really informative. Would be great if you had a shorter version which could be shared on social media

As a monthly financial contributor to Cancer Research, I enjoy the emails received however I question why I’m only informed about what’s happening in England? Wales got a little mention,1 a “sniff” of Scotland and absolutely zero for N.I.!
Come on!

This is why I’m voting Labour because I think they are the only party who will even get close to meeting the needs of the NHS and cancer research.

Why is there no discussion here of the benefits that technology will bring to the diagnosis & treatment of cancer. Won’t this go some way to helping with the staff shortage, although not if there is no investment in this area!

Interesting and informative but no mention of the situation in the NHS in Scotland which is still a part of the United Kingdom – and hope it continues to be so.

My daughter and husband were both diagnosed with breast and prostate cancer respectively in Feb. 2017, my husband’s cancer hadn’t spread and his treatment has been wonderful, my daughter’s cancer had already spread and she has had treatment every 3 weeks for almost 3 years now costing £90,000 + each year without the cost of staff, radiology and much, much more. Without the NHS she would not still be alive today. Her cancer has spread considerably and we are thankful for every day. My other daughter has been a senior manager in the NHS for 30 years and has recently left because the work load was very stressful, and some staff were not dedicated enough. I don’t honestly think that higher pay alone is enough to tempt more staff, there needs to be many more auxilliary staff recruited, incentives for staff to be more dedicated, shorter shifts for nurses and doctors, more facilities and more hospitals built. The demand on the present NHS will get worse as the population ages. We must save our wonderful NHS. Thank goodness for Cancer Research UK too! Vote Conservative.

I recently had a prostrate blood test which came back high along with back pain. I can’t fault my GP and the staff at our hospital as I was seen on the 14th day after seeing my GP and given a plan – MRI scan and Biopsy etc. By looking at the National statistics I am very lucky.

If there is such a shortage why are we paying quangos 100s of 1000 a week for doing nothing.

In 2009 I was fortunate to have a breast cancer diagnosis within a week and treatment followed promptly. I fear that if cancer returns I wouldn’t be treated so promptly.

Very interesting facts. The sad thing for me is that I don’t think any party will be good for the NHS. I wish they would be truthful about the money needed and the fact that it needs to be funded by the people. I would be happy to pay more if I knew it was going directly to the NHS. I still believe the NHS is better than in many countries and my hope is that we can make it World class.

Over trading and under capitalised is the NHS base problem and given the complexity of the service it must be almost an impossibility to attain a perfect setup. The NHS has always been a political football at election time, but it has always been there for real emergencies with the most caring employees to cope with every aspect of medical problems, I know I broke my neck last year and I experienced the service.

Thank you for sharing the pure un-politicised truth with us. This all makes me wonder how clamping down on Immigration to the UK is going to impact these staffing shortages, if foreign workers even feel that they are welcome in the UK any more. This needs to be addressed by any future government or governments as an on-going issue.

In 1994, I discovered a brest lump and my DR got me a hospital appt. the next day! The lump was removed within 2 weeks and within 6 weeks i had a mastectomy followed by radio therapy. I have lived without any further problems ever since. Everyone should have this speedy treatment and more would survive!

Excellent analysis to clarify the conflicting claims and lay out the facts.
This isn’t going to be resolved quickly – by any government.

My husband had surgery in 2006 and was sent home the next morning because they “they needed the bed”. He came home with a temperature of 103. The GP said she was fed up with patients being sent home too soon and he had to go back to hospital. They refused to have him back. The surgeon phoned the next day to ask where my husband was because he couldn’t find him in the hospital. He was angry my husband was sent home without his permission. He asked us to complain. It didn’t make any difference. Who was in power? Labour. We now have thousands more people to care for. I don’t think any party can make promises for the NHS and keep to them.

Just the facts we need to know – thanks.

The only way to get more staff is to pay them a good rate .and 12 hour shifts are bad for health .

Voting SNP!

Well done for making sure the Tory lies are corrected and sending people correct information

Good work by you. Thanks for sharing this with us.

Vote corbyn!