Sarah Ruane, Director of Advocacy at Macmillan Cancer Support said:
These figures are yet more evidence that who you are and where you live plays a huge part in the cancer care you receive. It’s unacceptable that some people from ethnically diverse backgrounds, the LGBTQ+ community, or with an additional long-term health condition are significantly more likely to report poorer overall experiences of cancer care.
“But it doesn’t have to be this way. Everyone diagnosed with cancer across the UK should be receiving support that’s right for their needs. We welcome the government’s commitment to producing a long-term plan for health, and it’s essential that this type of evidence, demonstrating the unacceptable variations in the quality of people’s experiences of cancer care, is considered as part of the Darzi review of NHS performance.”
These figures are yet more evidence that who you are and where you live plays a huge part in the cancer care you receive. It’s unacceptable that some people from ethnically diverse backgrounds, the LGBTQ+ community, or with an additional long-term health condition are significantly more likely to report poorer overall experiences of cancer care.
“But it doesn’t have to be this way. Everyone diagnosed with cancer across the UK should be receiving support that’s right for their needs. We welcome the government’s commitment to producing a long-term plan for health, and it’s essential that this type of evidence, demonstrating the unacceptable variations in the quality of people’s experiences of cancer care, is considered as part of the Darzi review of NHS performance.”
Overall care and support
- Almost one in 3 cancer patients in England (28%) are either not able to discuss their needs or concerns with a member of their healthcare team before their treatment starts, or are only able to do this to some extent
- Only half of patients (50%) are supported with a care plan to meet their needs or concerns
- Nearly a third of patients (30%) are not always involved in decisions about their treatment or care while they are in hospital
- Almost one in 3 patients (30%) do not get the information they need about the financial help or benefits that they might be entitled to
- Just over one in 10 patients (13%) either do not have a named clinical nurse specialist or other contact within their healthcare team to support them during treatment, or do but find them difficult to contact
Inequalities among different patient groups
- The 2023 survey shows that some groups of people with cancer in England are still statistically significantly more likely to report a poorer experience of NHS care than others, particularly those who are from an ethnically diverse background, the LGBTQ+ community, or those with another long-term health condition as well as cancer. For example, Asian (23%) or Black (26%) people with cancer are statistically significantly more likely to say they are not involved as much as they want to be in decisions about their treatment options compared with the national average (20%)
- Black, Asian and Mixed (ethnicity) people with cancer report a statistically significantly worse overall experience of NHS care in the 2023 survey
- When finding out they have cancer, people who are LGB (lesbian, gay or bisexual) are statistically significantly more likely to report they were not told sensitively or given enough privacy and were not informed they could have a family member or loved one with them when they received the news of a cancer diagnosis
- In addition, people who have at least one other long-term condition as well as cancer report a statistically significantly worse overall experience of cancer care in the 2023 survey
Read more
-
News and stories 10 Sep 2025In this blog, Gemma reflects on the impact Macmillan made last year ahead of the launch of Macmillan Cancer Support's Annual Report for 2024.
-
News and stories 03 Sep 2025Anthony Cunliffe, National Lead Medical Adviser at Macmillan, talks about the misconception that cancer only really happens to people in old age.
-
News and stories 10 Jul 2025The Prime Minister launched the government’s long-awaited 10 Year Health Plan, outlining a vision to “bring the NHS closer to home.”
