The UK’s cancer death rate could rise for the first time in decades if urgent action to address problems stemming from the pandemic is not taken, cancer charities have warned.
One Cancer Voice, a group of 47 British cancer charities, has told BBC Radio 1’s Newsbeat more money and staff are desperately needed to reduce a growing backlog of cancer cases.
It has also asked for the NHS to be given greater access to private facilities.
Michelle Mitchell, the head of Cancer Research UK – which leads One Cancer Voice – told Newsbeat: “We are calling on the government to invest more money in ensuring the backlog of cancer cases is reduced and eliminated.
“We could face, in this country today, the prospect of cancer survival reducing for the first time in decades. That’s why urgent action is required by the government.”
Recent figures from NHS England show 171,231 urgent cancer referrals were made by GPs in January – an 11% drop on the 191,852 in the same month the year before.
In a statement to Newsbeat, the Department of Health and Social Care said: “Cancer diagnosis and treatment has remained a top priority throughout the pandemic, with 1.86m urgent referrals and over 477,000 people receiving cancer treatment between March 2020 and January 2021.
“We continue to urge people to come forward to their GP if they have symptoms. As part of our additional investment in the NHS, an extra £1bn is being used to boost diagnosis and treatment across all areas of elective care in the year ahead.”
