A new National Cancer Plan for England

This morning, on World Cancer Day, Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care launched a new National Cancer Plan for England. 

This marks a major opportunity to improve the lives of people affected by cancer across the country and transform cancer care over the next decade.  

Macmillan is proud to have been an active partner in the development of the National Cancer Plan. In this blog, we answer the main questions people might have about what is in the Plan and why it is important. 

The National Cancer Plan for England is a new strategy from the government that sets out what the next decade of cancer care and support will look like. Key ambitions include: 

1. Becoming a global leader on cancer survival by 2035: with an ambition to ensure that three in four people diagnosed in 2035 will be cancer-free or living well with cancer after five years.  
   
2. Driving up quality of life for people living with cancer: by shifting more care into communities to ensure greater personalised support for people living with cancer throughout and beyond their treatment. 
   
3. Meeting the Cancer Waiting Time standards by the end of this Parliament: by expanding and improving diagnosis in the community; using digital technologies to support the creation of a Neighbourhood Health Service, bringing care closer to home; and a focus on innovation to speed up treatment decisions. 

Alongside these key areas we’re pleased to see commitments to drive forward action on tackling inequalities, tackling variation in care, research and innovation and reforming how the Government and NHS partner across society to benefit people with cancer. 

The number of people living with cancer in the UK is at a record high. Someone is diagnosed with cancer at least every 75 seconds across the UK. A new approach, built on the best examples of care and support that we can already see in communities across the country, is essential.

The Plan will mark the beginning of an entirely new national agenda for cancer care, setting the direction for the next ten years and transforming the lives of millions across England.

Right now, cancer care in the UK isn’t fair and people are often facing difficulty accessing support that is right for them, simply because of who they are or where they live. That isn’t right. Macmillan is dedicated to making cancer care fair, for everyone.

We at Macmillan are ready to play our part to ensure that this plan sparks a revolution in cancer care and results in real changes across the NHS and society so that everyone can access the best possible care and support. 

Macmillan has been an active partner in the development of the National Cancer Plan.

We have put people with cancer and communities at the heart of our work to inform the Plan. This involved delivering opportunities throughout 2025 to ensure that government officials and Ministers heard directly from hundreds of people affected by cancer, as well as grassroots organisations that support them. This has ensured that the Plan has been informed by the real-life experiences of communities across England. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who joined with us to make the most of this opportunity to shape cancer care and support over the next decade.

Macmillan has also provided expert advice and support to Government to ensure the Plan focusses on improving patients’ experiences and addressing the unacceptable cancer care gap. We want everyone to get the best possible care and support. No matter who they are or where they live.

We are proud to have worked closely with communities and partners across England to engage directly with the government on this plan. We are now ready to play our part in making the ambitions of this plan a reality for everyone. 

You can read more about why the National Cancer Plan must deliver for overlooked communities in this blog from Macmillan CEO, Gemma Peters.

We understand that hearing about cancer in the news can make some people feel worried. Find support and information if you are worried about cancer or if you have been diagnosed with cancer. 

If you would find it helpful to talk to someone, the Macmillan Support Line is open 7 days a week from 8am to 8pm. You can:

• Call us on 0808 808 00 00
• Chat to a specialist someone online.