Opinion: ‘The UK must be more ambitious than just clearing the cancer backlog’

Its terrible this government need to act now please stop letting people die its unnecessary

All very good and very behind in appointments and treatments, hope you will catch up with the GAP as our lives are Important and we only live once.

Yes, agree. Even before pandemic, I feel the NHS was stretched as even seeing my G P for routine appointments was difficult

Having received the benefit of cancer treatment 16 years ago I consider it’s vital for research and screening to progress. More research also into the part that fast food plays in the instances of the disease should urgently be considered.

I live with Non Hodgkins Lymphoma ,treated for High Grade with Chemotherapy five years ago . There is no treatment for the low grade version I have left to live with . More finances are needed from our government to find further treatments for cancers that have no cure for .

The government should invest more in research

As usual with a government too little too late for a lot of people

The NHS should be proactive and better at diagnosing cancer, it would us the agony and save them a fortune.

Take the focus off covid is a huge start

I think we should stop wasting money on non essential high speed railways and spend it on the NHS. Which is essential!

Diagnosis predominantly begins with the patient’s GP (primary care), but recent pathways to prevent patients access to face to face consultations with a GP WILL no doubt have an impact on the lack of diagnosing, E consult triage system and over zealous reception staff makes it impossible for many to speak freely to their doctor. I fear in years to come this will be reflected upon and deemed a contributor to under diagnosing.

Having seen someone very close to me fight three different cancers and in the end lost his fight and a mother who has also fought cancer. This needs to be forefront in getting people screened and treated

It’s pathetic as much of the NHS has become through underfunding by the tories . The UK ‘s biggest and best asset that is envied world wide will be in tatters if we do not take heed and swiftly amend and increase our health spending . I’d be happy to increase my contributions , most of us would, if it goes in the right direction !

Having had cancer myself I was very grateful that it was detected at a routine mammogram. If it had not been for routine mammogram my cancer would have developed further. Early detection at routine tests is Essential.

This government must get its priorities right, football, music events, nightclubs are part of many people’s lives, but surely the health of the population is far more important, as is the future of our NHS – this must not fail.

stop pretending the nhs is brilliant… its been failing for years but noone is allowed to say anything against it

Definitely need to fast track any appts from doctors to the hospital for scans etc..

Much more investment in smoking cessation clinics, alcohol, drug and mental health recovery services, homelessness and in tackling obesity.
Last year it was nigh on impossible to get a G.P. appointment to be referred on, and many people were too frightened to visit the surgery or worried about bothering the doctor in any case. Think the whole process needs to be much more user friendly so that the disease can be caught early.

One in two of us will get it, I’ll support in anyway I can .

Aiming higher than clearing the backlog means trying to catch up on the advances the pandemic has slowed as well as ensuring everyone gets the care they need. Government must see the importance of long term investment in better health outcomes for all.

Will you be starting a petition to spotlight this issue……. ⭐️ …..

Come on! Be realistic. Are you suffering from short memory or something? The hospitals have been bogged down with the covid cases for the last 18 months. Of course other problems have had to be sidelined, even important ones like cancer scans. But what do you expect the Health Minister to do? He’s not a magician!

I totally agree with what is said

Cancer should be taken serious at all times and be in the same category and treated as a matter of high priority just like covid as they both kill and spread just the same

It’s a catastrophe on an epic scale

So much happening now, great progress and so many trials being undertaken by cancer survivors. My grandson is one of them and this fills me personally with hope for the future.

Perhaps more mobile Units being set up that way its independent from the hospitals….

In my opinion the whole system needs to be reformed, there is way too much red tape and bureaucracy that just eats away at funds needed for correct use. Politicians who have never worked on the front can’t know how to solve problems

He must invest in diagnostics, interventional therapies and robotic surgery. We must consider stand alone (or next door to acute) protected in patient facilities for all major sites and not forgetting laboratory technology. Cancer and very urgent non-cancer capacity MUST have some protection from winter demand.

The government should be ashamed of how many people have missed screening or operations everyone is equally important when it comes to health. Get more money poured into the NHS and pay the staff better !

It is vital that this is made a priority and cancer services can return to the days before Covid.

Simple:
Tories out.

It is a must do, so many people going without treatment is a seriously sad situation.

I’m my opinion it’s a lottery.
What I would like to say is that I’ve had bowel and thyroid cancer and I owe my life to the medical staff who spotted my enlarged thyroid and the X-ray that showed bowel cancer.

3 million ? Cancer tests/treatment were reduced so any deaths could be added to the Covid-19 figures.

These are such important issues and inequalities urgently need to be addressed- there are too many people affected awaiting vital treatment when they could be receiving help sooner.

NHS need to keep there promise to see any suspect cancer conditions within 2 weeks. They have been ignored because of Covid it’s not right.

I’m 74 now. I’ve had cancer twice bowel and thyroid). I think so many more lives would be saved if there was more information about symptoms and visible signs of cancer. That’s how my doctor noticed my thyroid was swollen and referred me for an X-ray. Upshot was I had my thyroid removed and I live to fight another day👍

Put more money into early testing. Bring the age testing down. Dont wait till women and men in 50s before a mammogram detects cancer. Also the age for smear tests needs to be shorted to 20s. I know young girls who have cervical cancer so young and they are devastated. The age of testing needs to be changed asap.

Covid has been a terrible thing, especially with so many people dying, but I do feel it has become an excuse in some part and can be used for delays. Some sort of provision should have been made by the government to keep vital services such as cancer and heart patients still going through OUR NHS. They lacked the foresight for this and still do because services need to be brought back asap and Covid stopped being used as an excuse now. More funding for OUR NHS and more of the supposedly 40 new hospitals should have been built and staffed by now so where are they. More funding, more staff and more of putting peoples health before profit is what is needed. People should not be dispensable for the sake of making money.

Dreadful, I’ve been in 3 Hospital for cancer and seen them deserted with far too many nurses office clerks and cleaning staff hanging about chatting( probably bored ) about outings family get togethers, surely this could be managed better, not casting dispersants on staff not their remit, since easing off restrictions, better management is definitely required, I did the poo test and it showed abnormal blood which I didn’t see and had no symptoms, 2 weeks later I had half my bowel removed and have had regular check ups and blood tests since and so far all clear, so grateful to NHS, but come on this checking for cancer to important for poor management and politics. Wendy Murphy🦋

My Nephew died 7 weeks ago of glioblastoma multiforme ,a brain cancer which started in his spine.
He suffered so much became paralysed, we tried everything, fundraising to get him to Germany, ran out of time..
Terminator Cancer!!!
1% of funds raised go to this rare cancer.
Nothing has changed in years, it kills so many under the age of 40..

Sectretary sajid Needs to due more fundraisers and fun days days to help raise money for cancer my granny has cancer

Totally agree with all of it

If the UIK Government and the Scottish Government put as much effort into cancer research as they did with COVID. There needs to be stats published showing how much money CRUK get from charity and what the Government contribution is. That might shame them into ploughing money into research

This will affect everyone of us as it’s 1 in 2 that will get cancer. The Government can not ignore this.

I was so lucky that my breast screening appointment picked up cancer in both breasts resulting in bilateral mastectomy and lymph node removal now on letrozole for 5 years . I really am so grateful to my breast care clinic and my surgeon . I now donate to cancer research monthly and I have made significant donations to my local breast care clinic . I am concerned for all those who were missed during pandemic .

I’ve had cancer myself and it went undetected till it reached stage 4 and I couldn’t eat move sleep I think if more mobile units were placed in poverty stricken areas were people who can’t afford bus fare or can’t get out would benefit from earlier detection I know if there was a mobile unit near me I would have been diagnosed quicker but it took 18 months of doctor visits blood tests biopsy’s upon biopsy could’ve been avoided!

I was so lucky that my breast screening appointment picked up cancer in both breasts resulting in bilateral mastectomy and lymph node removal now on letrozole for 5 years . I really am so grateful to my breast care clinic and my surgeon . I now donate to cancer research monthly and I have made significant donations to my local breast care clinic . I am concerned for all those who were missed during pandemic .

As a young woman aged 24 I had cervical cancer.
Thank goodness for the speedy treatment I had and I fully recovered.
If I was living in these times I would have died.
My heart goes out to the hundreds who aren’t getting the same speedy treatment.
This needs to change ‘fast’

I had breast surgery yesterday x delayed monogram

It has all gone wrong

By far our family were heartbreakingly affected by the lack of screening for Cancer and it just happened to be it was an aggressive Stage 3/4 Primary Peritoneal Cancer… She never survived a year and was diagnosed during the Pandemic…. Appallingly treated. No Consultations with Medics. Appointments all done on ZOOM. CA 125 Blood Test done far too late….We’re heartbroken….

I agree that it is fundament that we do more than simply clear the backlog of cancer treatments. A someone who benefitted from early diagnosis and treatment I know how important this is and feel so sorry for those who have not had the same.

The UK must lead the world in early diagnosis and prevention of cancer, swiftly deal with the backlog of cases and provide equitable access to each and every individual.

GPS are not performing as they should people are being fobbed off with phone consultations and not being examined or listened to face to face !

LOWER SCREENING AGE

I think the government need to give more funding to cancer charities and research,

They need to seriously address the cancer issue as used Covid as an excuse I have not had my 6 mth check up for eye tumour it is now 10mths and heard nothing

The new health secretary should stop trying to play god think before he acts get all the facts and make special arrangements for cancer patients. Due to this gov inept handling of the pandemic my husband’s cancer has gone to terminal

GPS need to open so people can have face to face appointments

Need to transfer urgent patients to private’s sectors which will help with Nhs over flow

Get all the retired doctors back in NHS to help screening and conduct extra evening and weekend clinics.

I’m sorry, I welfare call 100 seniors per week and their biggest issue is not being able to see a GP. Maybe if the GPs were to start seeing their patients again, more cancers would be identified earlier!!!

Cancer checks should be increased not decreased. This disease KILLS people

It’s a free health care service weather it could be or not be cancer it’s always better to be safe then sorry

Whatever is going on the world we must continue with cancer research the biggest killer,the government should help

I think this minister needs to meet people suffering the fall out, every day for at least a month, minimum 12 hours

Give much more Government funding for Cancer research & treatments !!

I would like to give my view on breast cancer. In the pandemic a few of our friends had been diagnosed with lumps under the breast. As doctors start to say you must start going for scans after 50. But I think it should be for all ages into younger people. If you have family with genetic problems it’s bound to follow down in your children or cousins. Please raise my issue I think this is needed. Hope everything gets better soon to normal life.

This affects everyone as one day it could be you.