On Monday, two days ahead of today’s budget the Chancellor announced that the NHS in England is to receive an extra £5.9 billion. The money will be used to help clear the record backlog of people waiting for tests and scans, which has been worsened by the pandemic, and also to buy equipment and improve IT.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak called the announcement “game-changing”, however the money will be used to pay for physical infrastructure and equipment – not day-to-day spending.
Brain Tumour Research joins other interested stakeholders in welcoming the latest pledge but is concerned that it doesn’t deal with the problem of staff shortages.
The investment in kit needs to be accompanied by investment in workforce – we do not have the capacity of staff in the NHS to diagnose and treat cancer early enough.
To emphasise this point, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer, of which we are a stakeholder has organised a Virtual Workforce Rally from 10-11am today.
The rally is a chance for MPs, NHS Professionals and people affected by cancer to come together in advance of the Budget and Comprehensive Spending Review, to share experiences and discuss why investment in the cancer workforce is so vital to ensure the best outcomes for people living with cancer. They will be joined by MPs from all parties to take part in conversations about the vital funding needed.
You can keep up to date with the APPG on Cancer on Twitter @APPGC and we will report on the meeting in our next public affairs blog.
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