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On 20 October the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced the detail of the Comprehensive Spending Review, which sets out Government expenditure up to 2014/15. We’ve put together a summary of the announcements that could have the greatest impact on people affected by cancer and the work Macmillan is doing in these areas.
Macmillan worked hard to ensure the Government met their £200m financial commitment for the cancer drung fund. We are now asking the government to make sure the drug fund gives people with rarer cancers better access to treatment.
Macmillan is already working to try and improve the social care system for cancer patients and carers – responding over the last few years to the Government’s consultations on reform and, more recently, to the consultation on the Carers Strategy. We will continue to engage with the Government next year on their Social Care White Paper.
Macmillan recently announced a partnership with the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE), which will look at ways local councils can support the needs of people living with cancer and carers – and potentially at how some of the new funding could be used to support this.
Macmillan has already drawn attention to the difficulties faced by people affected by cancer claiming the benefits they're entitled to. This has resulted in exemptions for some people claiming ESA. We will ensure the views of people affected by cancer are heard in relation to the Welfare Reform Bill.
Macmillan will be running a campaign this winter to raise awareness of how fuel poverty affects people living with cancer.
We will feed into the social price support consultation and the independent review to raise awareness of the difficulties many people affected by cancer have paying fuel bills and the impact cold housing can have on their condition. We will continue to develop our partnership with npower and explore how we can work with other energy suppliers to help them improve the service they offer to people living with cancer.
Tom Cottam, Policy Analyst, Macmillan Cancer Support tcottam@macmillan.org.uk|
Macmillan Cancer Support improves the lives of people affected by cancer, providing practical, medical, emotional and financial support. Working alongside people affected by cancer, Macmillan works to improve cancer care. One in three of us will get cancer. Two million of us are living with it. If you are affected by cancer Macmillan can help.
Call the Macmillan Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm. Calls are free, including from mobiles or visit www.macmillan.org.uk|