MP says transitional funding needs to be released to frontline cancer services
Today at Prime Minister’s Questions, John Baron MP raised an important finding of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer’s (APPGC) new report on progress half-way through the England Cancer Strategy, which was launched yesterday at the APPGC’s annual ‘Britain Against Cancer’ conference.
Amongst other issues, the report identified that NHS England funding for frontline cancer services is contingent on their performance on the 62-day wait standard, a requirement imposed after the conclusion of the bidding process for this funding.
In the Chamber, John asked,
“Yesterday the APPGC hosted its annual ‘Britain Against Cancer’ conference – the largest one-day gathering of the cancer community in the UK – to launch its report into the Cancer Strategy. We heard from Government and NHS England about the many good things being done, but there is one issue which is causing frontline services real problems – the delay in release of transformation funding to these services because of an additional requirement for the funding imposed after the bidding process had closed. Having discussed this issue with the Secretary of State, who is a jolly fellow, may I have a brief meeting with the Prime Minister about the issue?”
The Prime Minister said progress is being made on cancer, and that she would be pleased to meet John to discuss this specific issue further.
John said afterwards,
“The APPGC report is the result of our inquiry this autumn which received over 80 written submissions from across the cancer community, but particularly from frontline cancer services, with additional information from two robust oral evidence sessions in Parliament. We heard many pleas from the frontline about this issue of delayed funding, as a result of the decision to link performance against the 62-day wait standard with this funding release.”
“Having discussed this matter with the Secretary of State for Health at the conference yesterday, I look forward to my meeting with the Prime Minister. I hope we can make progress, as funding needs to be released to frontline cancer services.”
Notes to Editors:
• John has been Chairman of the APPGC since 2009.
• A copy of the APPGC report is available online at: www.macmillan.org.uk/appgc-on-the-cancer-strategy.
• For further information, please see John’s earlier press release, online at: http://pressreleases.johnbaron.co.uk/archives/3389
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