The National Cancer Plan was launched to improve cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, research and support across England. Six months on, NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care have provided an update on progress, highlighting areas of improvement while acknowledging that there is still much work to do.
National Cancer Board Delayed, But Work Continues
The first meeting of the new National Cancer Board has been delayed due to ongoing government appointment processes. However, officials have emphasised that work on delivering the Plan’s 126 actions has continued, with the first Board meeting expected later this year.
Progress for Rare and Less Common Cancers
Rare and less common cancers have a much stronger focus within the National Cancer Plan than in previous strategies.
Important developments include:
- Appointment of Dr Rob Metcalf as National Clinical Lead for Rare Cancers.
- Implementation of the Rare Cancers Act 2026.
- Greater involvement of rare cancer organisations in shaping future work.
- Development of new approaches to improve access to innovative treatments and clinical trials.
- Work to improve data collection on recurrent and metastatic cancers.
NCUK and fellow Cancer52 members welcome the increased focus but stress the need to ensure that rare cancers remain visible across all areas of cancer policy and service development.
Research and Innovation
The NHS continues to invest in research and innovation to improve outcomes for people with cancer. Recent progress includes:
- Launch of the fourth NHS Cancer Programme Innovation Open Call.
- Expansion of genomic testing services through seven new laboratory hub contracts.
- Continued growth of the Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad programme.
- Improvements to systems designed to help patients find and join clinical trials.
Children and Young People
For children and young people affected by cancer:
- Work is underway to introduce a Children and Young People’s Travel Fund.
- The Starlight Play Well Toolkit is helping improve hospital experiences for children receiving treatment.
- New nutritional standards for children’s hospital food are being developed.
Digital Improvements Must Work for Patients
Stakeholders welcomed ongoing digital developments but raised concerns about patients receiving significant test results through the NHS App before speaking to a healthcare professional. NHS England has acknowledged these concerns and confirmed that work is underway to improve how information is shared with patients.
Future digital developments, including Diagnosis Connect and NHS Online services, aim to provide better support and tracking throughout the cancer pathway.
Overall Cancer Waiting Times Are Improving
Performance against the three main cancer waiting time standards has improved compared with the same period last year. While targets have not yet been reached, more patients are being diagnosed and treated more quickly. Recent developments include:
- Continued focus on reducing delays in diagnosis and treatment.
- Greater public reporting of cancer performance data.
- Expansion of highly targeted radiotherapy treatments that can reduce the number of hospital visits for some patients.
- Development of digital services through the NHS App and future Single Patient Record.
Earlier Diagnosis
One of the most encouraging developments is in early diagnosis. Compared with before the COVID-19 pandemic:
- More than 10,000 additional people are now being diagnosed at an earlier stage of cancer.
- The gap in early diagnosis rates between the most and least deprived communities has narrowed.
- Lung cancer screening continues to detect cancers earlier, when treatment is more likely to be successful.
Work is also underway to improve bowel cancer detection through electronic safety-netting programmes and targeted genetic screening initiatives. Both of these screening initiatives have also picked up neuroendocrine cancers.
Designing Care Around People’s Lives
The Plan aims to make cancer care more personalised and easier to access. Key developments include:
- New neighbourhood cancer care projects being developed across Cancer Alliances.
- Work to improve pre-habilitation, helping people prepare physically and emotionally for treatment.
- Development of new supportive oncology standards, covering the wider impact of cancer and treatment.
- Exploration of electronic patient-reported outcome and experience measures to better understand what matters most to patients.
The 2025 Cancer Patient Experience Survey showed that overall experiences of care remain very positive, with patients rating their care highly: however it remained unclear whether all cancers were represented in results/report.
Looking Ahead
The National Cancer Plan remains ambitious. While challenges remain, particularly around waiting times and achieving early diagnosis targets, there is clear evidence of progress.
Key priorities over the coming months include:
- Establishing the National Cancer Board.
- Publishing new early diagnosis metrics.
- Developing cancer care manuals and quality standards.
- Strengthening support for rare and less common cancers.
- Continuing improvements in digital services, research and personalised care.
What This Means for Patients
According to the Cancer52 update – the overall message is positive.
More cancers are being diagnosed earlier, waiting times are improving, and there is growing recognition of the needs of people living with rare and less common cancers.
At the same time, patient organisations continue to work with NHS England to ensure that future improvements reflect the experiences and priorities of people affected by cancer.
Cancer52 and its member organisations, including NCUK, will continue to represent the voices of people living with rare and less common cancers as the National Cancer Plan moves into its next phase.