During World Cancer Day, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said there are many reasons for optimism: “Medical research and life sciences are pushing through the frontiers of understanding. Cancer is no longer the death sentence it once was.”
Mr Streeting sat down with BBC journalist Nick Robinson at a Macmillan organised event. The Secretary of State announced the biggest trial of artificial intelligence to detect breast cancer, both embracing technology and setting a clear direction of travel for his Department.
He pledged that as a Department they would not “get dragged off by blurred visions”, but would look to implement planned and consistent improvement – a deliberate shift away from setting targets. In Mr Streeting’s words: “If you’re measuring everything then you’re measuring nothing.”
Discussing the NHS 10 Year Plan, Mr Streeting said it was important to address health inequalities that exist across the whole patient pathway. He also announced a plan to reinstate the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce, which will be co-chaired by Dame Caroline Dinenage MP. Despite the size of the challenge, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care remained upbeat, saying: “We wanted this task. We were trusted to deliver, and we will.”
Macmillan CEO Gemma Peters said: “If we can get it right on cancer, we can get it right with anything else. We have an opportunity in this Cancer Plan to make a big shift, for a better today and a better tomorrow.”
Our Policy and Public Affairs Manager, Thomas Brayford, said: “We heard some encouraging words today about the Secretary of State’s commitment to cancer. In the new Cancer Plan, we must ensure that brain tumours are not left behind – every brain tumour patient deserves hope, progress, and a fighting chance.”