Health Secretary Wes Streeting launches National Cancer Plan

Health Secretary Wes Streeting launched the National Cancer Plan, which sets a goal to save 320,000 more lives by 2035 and to meet all three national cancer waiting time standards by the end of this Parliament.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting delivered a speech at the Royal Free to launch the government's National Cancer Plan. He spoke as a cancer survivor and said the plan is designed to put patients at the centre of care, reduce deaths, and narrow health inequalities. The plan includes targets and timelines, including a pledge to save 320,000 lives by 2035 and to meet national cancer waiting time standards by the end of this Parliament. Several immediate measures and longer-term programmes were announced alongside examples of recent NHS progress. Key points: - The plan aims to save 320,000 more lives by 2035 and to meet all three national cancer waiting time standards by the end of this Parliament. - The Health Secretary and two other ministers are cancer patients, and the speech emphasised that the plan was shaped by patient and family input. - The government will roll out a national Lung Cancer Screening programme by 2030 and expand cancer doctors in rural and coastal areas to reduce postcode variation in care. - Measures include more Community Diagnostic Centres with extended hours, new liquid biopsy blood tests, greater use of digital imaging, automation and AI, and integration of results through the NHS App. - The plan includes prevention actions such as steps toward a smoke-free generation, increased vaccine uptake, expanded access to weight-loss treatments, and tighter rules on sunbeds and junk food ads. - The speech noted recent NHS activity: five million more appointments in the first year of the government, recruitment of 2,500 more GPs, and faster ambulance response times this winter. Summary: The plan sets out a ten-year framework combining prevention, earlier diagnosis, technology, and local service changes with specific timelines for rollout of programmes such as lung screening and digital integration. Implementation and detailed delivery timetables were announced for some items; broader progress will be determined as the plan is put into action.