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A coalition of 54 charities has written to the Health Secretary today with its demands.

Called One Cancer Voice, it says these must be met if the “war on cancer” is to be won.

It comes as Mr Javid is poised to publish his own 10-year plan to tackle the emergency.

Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: “My message to Mr Javid is direct and urgent. The pandemic has had an enormous impact on cancer care. But it has only exacerbated long-standing problems.”

“The 10-year plan represents a unique opportunity to start putting this right – but only if we commit to a credible plan. If the Government gets this right, the benefits will be felt by generations to come.”

Demands include full funding to “prevent more cancers by diagnosing earlier and offering the best treatment and care tailored to the needs of every patient”.

The pressure group also wants proper investment to solve staff shortages. And it calls for cancer charities and patients to help oversee the plans.

Signatories include the Anthony Nolan organisation, Bowel Cancer UK, British Liver Trust, Leukaemia Care, Prostate Cancer UK and World Cancer

Research Fund. Their letter says: “This plan could not be coming at a more important time.”

A record 2,657,316 cancer patients were referred to specialists between March 2021 and this February in England. Yet only 2,207,293 were seen within 62 days.

Leading oncologist Karol Sikora said: “Reinforcing the health service in the longterm is essential – but cancer patients need action now. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”

Comment by Michelle Mitchell

We are seeing over a third of patients in England being diagnosed with cancer after being rushed into hospital as an emergency.

As a result, these patients are more likely to have poor survival. Indeed, we are lagging behind comparable high-income countries when it comes to cancer survival.

If we intend to have a world-class cancer service, we must lower our number of emergency presentations.

Public trust is also low. Our recent YouGov poll of almost 2,500 adults found that three in four think the NHS is too understaffed and under-equipped to tackle cancer.

Of those who have had cancer, 76 percent agreed, rising to 80 percent among those who have known someone who has had cancer.

This is deeply troubling. Now is the time to work harder and work together, which is why jointly as One Cancer

Voice (a coalition of 54 cancer charities) we have shared with Sajid Javid 10 tests essential to achieving world-class cancer outcomes over the next decade.

He has the vision, but for this plan to succeed it must have ambitious targets, a credible plan for delivery, funding – and, critically, funding for the workforce.

With the plan due to be published next month, we urge him today to ensure it meets these tests.

There is a lot riding on this. And if the Government gets this right, the benefits will be felt by generations to come.

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