In Wales, 19,000 people are diagnosed with cancer every year and more than 130,000 people are currently living with or beyond cancer, almost 4.5 percent of the population1. By 2030 it is expected that 250,000, almost eight percent of the Welsh population, will have been affected by a cancer diagnosis and one in two of us will be affected by cancer at some point in our lives.
The good news is that survival rates are steadily improving and many people recover. On average 70 percent2 of Welsh residents diagnosed with cancer can expect to survive at least one year. However, improving survival rates in Wales needs to be considered in the context of even better survival rates in many other European countries.
We are pleased that the Welsh Government’s Cancer Delivery Plan 2017 - 2020 reflects an ambitious approach to delivering cancer services in Wales. We believe strengthened performance management arrangements must now be put in place to ensure all aspects of the plan are implemented and monitored to increase consistency and improve services for all people affected by cancer across Wales.
You can read our full response to inform the refresh of Welsh Government’s cancer delivery plan here.
[1] WCISU Feb 2015
[2] Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit Official Statistics 2012 data. Published 10 April 2014
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