A new Cancer Plan
1 in every 2 people in Wales will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives, and by 2030, an estimated 230,000 people in Wales will be living with cancer.
But despite its prevalence in our society, and the skills of excellent staff within our NHS, the overall quality of cancer care in Wales, in terms of diagnosis rates, treatment and clinical outcomes, continues to lag badly behind.
We are committed to improving standards of care across the entirety of the cancer patient pathway – with an emphasis on prevention, early diagnosis, equitable access to treatment and strengthening networks of support for survivors.
Actions in the first 100 days:
- Begin preparing a new Cancer Plan for Wales
- Draft legislation on the ‘Right to be Forgotten’ for cancer survivors to protect them from discrimination in the form of higher insurance premiums or difficulties accessing a mortgage
- Commission a feasibility study for establishing a new Rapid Diagnostic Centre (RDC) in Powys
- Begin preparations for a Wales Cancer Conference in 2027, with the aim of bringing together healthcare professionals and stakeholders to share best practice and latest innovation on cancer care
- Request a visit from the European Cancer Pulse initiative for 2027 to assess regional and social disparities in the quality of cancer care in Wales
- Draft plans for a designated funding stream to support the travel and accommodation costs of patients travelling outside of Wales for specialist cancer treatment