John Baron MP has positive meeting with Prime Minister to discusses front-line cancer funding

MP urges release of transformation funding from NHS England

This afternoon John Baron MP met the Prime Minister to discuss the findings of the latest report of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer (APPGC), following his PMQ on 6th December. In particular, the report recommended that the release of the £200 million of transformation funding, intended to help Cancer Alliances at the front-line of cancer services, be de-coupled from an Alliance’s performance against the 62-day wait target. This requirement is leading to this funding being withheld, potentially preventing progress in improving cancer care and treatment.

John said afterwards,

“This was a very constructive meeting during which the Prime Minister, officials and I agreed to find a solution quickly. The Prime Minister is aware that we urgently need to break the ‘chicken and egg’ scenario which is currently prevailing, whereby the release of this funding is conditional on improvements to the 62-day target and yet the money is needed to drive these very improvements.”

“This situation smacks of ‘cock-up rather than conspiracy’. The well-intended 62-day target is, in effect, obstructing the release of this transformation funding which is there to help achieve the 2015-2020 Cancer Strategy. This must now change.”