Table of contents

Approximate read time: 15 minutes

The House of Lords is scheduled to debate the following motion on 21 April 2026:

Lord Patel (Crossbench) to move that the Grand Committee takes note of cancer outcomes in the UK and of plans to improve them including diagnostic care and research.

Lord Patel is a former chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges.

As health is a devolved matter, this briefing relates to cancer outcomes and improvement plans in England unless otherwise stated.

1. Cancer statistics

1.1 Incidence

There were 354,820 new cancer diagnoses in England during 2023, according to the latest cancer registration statistics published by NHS England.[1] Figure 1 shows how the number of cancers diagnosed per year has increased since 2001:

Figure 1. Cancer incidence in England, 2001 to 2023

Cancer incidence in England, 2001 to 2023
(NHS England and National Disease Registration Service, ‘Cancer incidence and mortality dashboard’, accessed 31 March 2026. Data includes age and gender standardisation.)

NHS England has advised caution when making comparisons between historic and latest available data on cancer.[2] Cancer registrations in England can take up to five years after the end of a given calendar year to reach 100% completeness due to the continuing accrual of late registrations. Additionally, diagnoses of cancer are registered for each separate cancer. This means a person diagnosed with more than one type of cancer would appear more than once in the incidence statistics.

1.2 Mortality

The number of people dying from cancer in England has increased over time.[3] However, despite this increase, figure 2 shows how the mortality rate from cancer (deaths per 100,000 people) has actually decreased since 2001, from 323.5 per 100,000 in 2001 to 251.1 per 100,000 in 2023:

Figure 2. Cancer mortality rate in England, 2001 to 2023

Figure 2. Cancer mortality rate in England, 2001 to 2023
(NHS England and National Disease Registration Service, ‘Cancer incidence and mortality dashboard’, accessed 31 March 2026. Data includes age and gender standardisation.)

Regarding international comparisons, evidence has shown the UK has lagged behind other countries on mortality rates. According to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) data on deaths from cancer in developed countries, the UK ranked 26th out of 36 countries for cancer mortality rates in 2021.[4]

The UK government has warned of difficulties when making international comparisons on cancer mortality rates due to factors such as timeliness of data availability and variations in how cancer data is collected.[5] However, the government has acknowledged there is evidence the UK has lagged persistently behind other countries over time. This point was also noted in Lord Darzi of Denham’s independent investigation of the NHS in England report published in September 2024.[6]

1.3 Early diagnosis

Early diagnosis can improve cancer outcomes.[7] In England, early diagnosis rates—the proportion of staged cancers diagnosed at stage 1 or 2—were flat between 2013 and the start of the pandemic in 2020.[8] However, the government has reported signs of progress since then.[9] The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said early diagnosis rates in 2024 and 2025 have been at their highest ever level, and in the 12 months to September 2025 were 3.5 percentage points above the pre-pandemic level. The DHSC said this equated to around 10,000 more people being diagnosed at stages 1 and 2.

1.4 Cancer waiting times

The DHSC has said the NHS struggled to keep pace with increasing demand for cancer testing and treatment during the last decade, leading to longer waiting times.[10] Since October 2023, NHS England performance has been measured against three core cancer waiting time standards:[11]

  • a 28-day faster diagnosis standard (75%, rising to 80% from March 2026)
  • a 31-day decision to treat to treatment standard (96%)
  • a 62-day referral to treatment standard (85%)

Only the faster diagnosis standard has been met in recent years, as shown in table 1 below:

Table 1. NHS England annual performance against three core cancer waiting time standards, 2023 to date, England

Four-week (28 days) wait from urgent referral to patient being told they have cancer or the all-clear (operational standard from Q3 of 2021/22: 75% of cases to meet this target) One-month (31 days) wait from decision to treat to the patient starting treatment (operational standard from Q3 of 2023/24: 96% of cases to meet this target) Two-month (62 days) wait from a referral to starting treatment (operational standard from Q3 of 2023/24: 85% of cases to meet this target)
2023/24 72.8% 90.1% 64.7%
2024/25 76.4% 91.1% 68.5%
2025/26 (YTD) 75.6% 91.6% 69.2%

(NHS England, ‘Cancer waiting times’, accessed 27 March 2026. See ‘CWT CRS: National time series Oct 2009–Jan 2026 with revisions’, ‘Annual performance’ tab, ODS file format.)

2. Policy impact on cancer outcomes

International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership (ICBP) research from 2022 identified a link between cancer policy consistency over time and cancer survival for certain types of cancer.[12] The ICBP is a partnership hosted by Cancer Research UK and made up of clinicians, policy makers, researchers and data experts who analyse international variations in cancer survival, incidence and mortality, as well as identify factors that might be driving these differences.[13] The ICBP found countries that had set out consistent cancer policies had seen the greatest improvements in cancer survival.[14] In response to the findings, Cancer Research UK highlighted the importance of national policies for improving cancer outcomes.

3. National policies for England

Several policies aimed at improving cancer outcomes in England have been published since 2010. For example, the coalition government published ‘Improving outcomes: A strategy for cancer’ in 2011. This was followed by the Independent Cancer Taskforce’s ‘Achieving world-class cancer outcomes: A strategy for England 2015–2020’ in 2015. Then, in 2019, ‘The NHS long-term plan’ for England included a headline commitment to diagnose 75% of cancers at stage 1 or 2 by 2028.

Following this, in 2022 the then Conservative government launched a call for evidence that it said would underpin a ‘10-year cancer plan’ for England.[15] However, this plan was later replaced by the ‘Major conditions strategy’ which covered six groups of conditions contributing to disease in England, including cancer.[16]

In March 2023, the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee launched a ‘Future cancer’ inquiry to examine support for innovation in cancer diagnosis and treatment.[17] The committee subsequently wrote to the government in May 2024 with its key findings.[18] The committee argued the government had made a “mistake to abandon the ‘10-year cancer plan’” and called on the government to commit “to the redevelopment and publication of a long-term strategy for cancer which has innovation at its core”.

In December 2024, Health Secretary Wes Streeting confirmed the Labour government would publish a national cancer plan for England.[19]

3.1 ‘National cancer plan for England’

The government published its ‘National cancer plan for England’ in February 2026. This 10-year plan sets out the government’s aims for improving cancer care across England. It covers prevention, diagnosis, treatment, care and research. The government has said three out of four people diagnosed with cancer in 2035 would survive for five years or more if the plan is successfully implemented.[20] This would equate to “320,000 more lives being saved over the course of the plan”.

The plan includes a range of actions and commitments aimed at delivering better outcomes for patients through earlier diagnosis, faster treatment and better survival rates. Actions include the following:[21]

  • Improving NHS cancer performance. The government has committed to meeting all three cancer waiting time standards by the end of this parliament. It said this would mean that by 2029: 80% of patients get a diagnosis or all-clear within 28 days of an urgent suspected cancer referral; 85% of patients start their treatment within 62 days of referral; and 96% of patients start treatment within 31 days of a decision to treat them.
  • Earlier diagnosis. Actions would include the rollout of lung cancer screening by 2030, continued community testing for people with cirrhosis or fatty liver disease to identify those at a higher risk of certain cancers, investment in technology and AI to help spot cancers earlier, and increased access to innovative cancer treatments as they become available.
  • Research and innovation. The government said its priorities for research are aimed at increasing cancer survival, as well as improving performance and providing “excellent quality of life”. It has committed to implementing technology proven to improve cancer outcomes, as well as speeding up access to new technology via the new National HealthTech Access Programme. Additionally, the government has set out plans to establish a ‘cancer trials accelerator programme’ to increase the speed, scale and reliability of cancer clinical trials and make them more accessible for people to join in locally.

Overall, the government said the plan would provide “a basis for England being a world leader in cancer survival and improving [the] quality of life for those with cancer in this country”.[22]

3.2 Reaction to the national cancer plan

Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee Layla Moran welcomed the government’s publication of the national cancer plan.[23] She said the committee would push the government to “do better as it embarks on plans to centralise control of the health service”, and “do right by the millions of people living with and beyond cancer today and in the future”.

The Association of Cancer Physicians and the UK Society for Medical Oncology described the plan’s focus on delivery, equity and outcomes as “timely and necessary”.[24] Additionally, the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) said it welcomed the government’s ambitions in the plan, including its focus on prevention, earlier diagnosis and improving survival rates.[25] However, the RCP also said that delivery of the plan was dependent on sustained investment in the physician workforce. Similarly, the Society of Radiographers said the plan’s “lack of attention to workforce planning” could hinder its functioning.[26]

The Independent Healthcare Providers Network said it supported the government’s commitment to new investment for additional tests and scans.[27] The British Thoracic Oncology Group—a multi-disciplinary group for UK healthcare professionals involved in thoracic malignancies—said it “strongly” supported commitments to a full rollout of lung cancer screening by 2030 and continued focus on early detection.[28] However, the group called for “uniform integration of smoking cessation” into screening programmes, as well as a “recognition that increased capacity is required downstream from screening for lung cancer diagnostics and treatment”.

Various cancer charities have welcomed the plan. For example, Macmillan Cancer Support said it was pleased to see commitments in the plan to tackle inequalities and variation in care, as well as development of cancer research and innovation.[29] The Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce—made up of six charities representing those with lung, liver, brain, oesophageal, pancreatic and stomach cancers—said it welcomed the plan’s focus on those affected by rare and less common cancers.[30] It described the plan’s emphasis on early diagnosis as “especially positive” and welcomed the commitments on research and development, among others. Cancer Research UK said it was pleased with various commitments in the plan, including a renewed commitment to earlier diagnosis and meeting all cancer waiting time targets by 2029.[31] However, it stated that further detail was needed on how the plan’s commitments would be implemented, where overall responsibility for these commitments would sit, and whether there would be sufficient resources to meet the plan’s ambitions.

Research institutes and academics have also shared their views on the plan. For example, Professor Kristian Helin, chief executive and president of research institute the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), said the ICR was pleased the plan acknowledged the importance of cancer research as the key driver of improved diagnosis and treatment of cancer.[32] However, in addition to cancer research, Professor Helin said the plan relied on a “strong life sciences and higher education ecosystem” that was “underpinned by world-class infrastructure, sustainable investment and access to the best skills and talent”. Sarah Woolnough, chief executive of the King’s Fund health charity, described the plan as an “ambitious, long-term plan with a clear set of priorities”.[33] However, she questioned the feasibility of delivering some of the commitments within the existing spending review settlement and in light of the current economic outlook.

However, some cancer and public health academics have spoken critically of the plan. For example, Bernard Rachet, Ajay Aggarwal and Martin McKee, professors at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, have argued a “radical health system-wide change” is needed for the new plan to succeed.[34] They raised concerns with the plan’s delivery model among several other issues, arguing that it lacked clarity on what additional resources and leadership capacity would be required to achieve its goals.

4. Read more

Image from Freepik.

References

  1. NHS England, ‘Cancer registration statistics, England, 2023’, 30 October 2025. Return to text
  2. NHS England, ‘Cancer registration statistics, England, 2023: Things you need to know about this release’, 30 October 2025. Return to text
  3. NHS England, ‘Cancer registration statistics, England, 2023: Cancer mortality’, 30 October 2025. Return to text
  4. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, ‘Deaths from cancer’, accessed 27 March 2026. The OECD data represents the mortality rate per 100,000 inhabitants in each country resulting from all types of malignant neoplasms. Return to text
  5. Department of Health and Social Care, ‘Technical annex to the 2026 national cancer plan’, 4 February 2026, pp 4–5. Return to text
  6. Department of Health and Social Care, ‘Independent investigation of the National Health Service in England’, September 2024, pp 54–8. Return to text
  7. World Health Organization, ‘Promoting cancer early diagnosis’, accessed 27 March 2026. Return to text
  8. Department of Health and Social Care, ‘Technical annex to the 2026 national cancer plan’, 4 February 2026, p 12. Return to text
  9. As above, p 13. Return to text
  10. As above, p 26. Return to text
  11. NHS England, ‘Changes to cancer waiting times standards from 1 October 2023’, 17 August 2023; and ‘National cancer waiting times monitoring dataset guidance’, updated 9 April 2025. Return to text
  12. Cancer Research UK, ‘Why consistent and funded cancer policies are key to improving cancer survival’, 1 November 2022; and Professor Ellen Nolte et al, ‘Exploring the link between cancer policies and cancer survival: A comparison of International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership countries’, The Lancet Oncology, November 2022, vol 23, issue 11. Return to text
  13. Cancer Research UK, ‘ICBP partnership’, 17 October 2025. Return to text
  14. Cancer Research UK, ‘Why consistent and funded cancer policies are key to improving cancer survival’, 1 November 2022. Return to text
  15. Department of Health and Social Care, ‘Health and social care secretary to launch new 10-year ‘national war on cancer’’, 4 February 2022. Return to text
  16. Department of Health and Social Care, ‘Major conditions strategy: Case for change and our strategic framework’, updated 21 August 2023. Return to text
  17. House of Commons Health and Social Committee, ‘MPs to examine support for innovation in cancer diagnosis and treatment’, 22 March 2023. Return to text
  18. House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee, ‘Letter to Victoria Atkins, then secretary of state for health and social care, ref ‘Future cancer: Inquiry progress’’, 23 May 2024. Return to text
  19. Department of Health and Social Care, ‘Letter to Layla Moran, chair of the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee, ref government’s response to the committee’s ‘Future cancer’ inquiry’’, December 2024. Return to text
  20. Department of Health and Social Care, ‘National cancer plan for England’, updated 26 February 2026, p 7. Return to text
  21. House of Commons, ‘Written statement: National cancer plan (HCWS1306)’, 4 February 2026. Return to text
  22. As above. Return to text
  23. House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee, ‘Cancer plan: Health committee will push ministers for real change and patients’ voice to be heard’, 5 February 2026. Return to text
  24. Association of Cancer Physicians and UK Society for Medical Oncology, ‘Response to the NHS England national cancer plan’, 4 February 2026. Return to text
  25. Royal College of Physicians, ‘RCP responds to the publication of the ‘National cancer plan for England’’, 5 February 2026. Return to text
  26. Society of Radiographers, ‘National cancer plan success relies on improving workforce planning, says SoR’, 4 February 2026. Return to text
  27. Independent Healthcare Providers Network, ‘IHPN responds to new national cancer plan’, 4 February 2026. Return to text
  28. British Thoracic Oncology Group, ‘British Thoracic Oncology Group (“BTOG”) response to the 10-year ‘National cancer plan for England’’, 23 February 2026. Return to text
  29. Macmillan Cancer Support, ‘A new ‘National cancer plan for England’’, 4 February 2026. Return to text
  30. Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce, ‘Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce responds to the national cancer plan’, 4 February 2026. Return to text
  31. Cancer Research UK, ‘A turning point for cancer? Breaking down the ‘National cancer plan for England’’, 4 February 2026. Return to text
  32. Institute of Cancer Research, ‘ICR responds to the government’s national cancer plan’, 4 February 2026. Return to text
  33. King’s Fund, ‘The King’s Fund responds to the national cancer plan’, 4 February 2026. Return to text
  34. Bernard Rachet et al, ‘England’s national cancer plan is more a commercial strategy than a health policy’, BMJ, 12 February 2026, vol 392. Return to text