A leading head and neck cancer charity has welcomed promises by the Government to speed up cancer diagnosis and treatment for patients with rare and less common cancers.
But the Birmingham-founded Get A-Head charity – which has been supporting people with head and neck cancer for more than 30 years – says the hard work must start now to ensure every cancer patient in the UK receives the best possible care.
Get A-Head director Danni Heath said: “We welcome the Government’s ambitious commitment to improve cancer outcomes. For too long, outcomes have depended on where a patient happens to live rather than the urgency of their condition.
“But while the announcement is a step in the right direction, what matters now is delivery – and ensuring that they follow through on the commitments to ensure people with head and neck cancer are no longer left behind.
“Head and neck cancer is now the fourth most common cancer in men, yet until now it has remained under‑recognised and under‑prioritised in national planning. It is vital that this group of cancers receives the focus it urgently needs and we are pleased to see some recognition in the plan and a commitment to prioritising access to specialist treatment for patients.
“We’re also encouraged to see the government has recognised the role of specialist charities like Get A-Head in supporting patients and we welcome the promise they’ve made to work more closely with the third sector through the Diagnosis Connect Programme.”
Danni stressed that robust data must underpin the Government’s plan.
“Any long-term plan depends on good data and that is something we urgently need to address in terms of head and neck cancer. The much-discussed Head and Neck Cancer Audit should be an urgent priority.”
She also welcomed plans to tackle cancer waiting times which she described as ‘at crisis point’ and urged for a more coordinated response led by clinicians on the frontline.
She made further calls for mental health support to be embedded throughout the cancer pathway.
“All cancer takes a huge emotional toll on patients, their families and carers. Psychological support is essential. Carers, in particular, carry an enormous burden, often unseen. Any credible plan must recognise, support and resource them properly.”
Danni said a greater use of technology and innovation could help treat more people, more quickly and improve outcomes.
“We are currently supporting a project which uses artificial intelligence to produce easy-to-understand resources for carers. By embracing technology more widely, the Government could make a huge difference to the lives of millions of people.
“And workforce planning cannot be an afterthought. Without enough trained clinicians, nurses, speech and language therapists and specialist support staff, no plan can succeed.
The National Cancer Plan aims to deliver three key ambitions: meeting waiting times standards by the end of this parliament; improving survival by 2035; and improving quality of life for patients who’ve had cancer.
Get A-Head will be reviewing the full plan in detail alongside its partners in the Head and Neck Cancer Coalition.
