Charities warn of potential rise in cancer death rate

A group of 47 cancer charities have warned that the UK's cancer death rate will rise for the first time in decades without immediate action.

NHS data suggests that tens of thousands fewer people started cancer treatment since the first lockdown compared to normal times.

One Cancer Voice says that the NHS needs more resources and more staff available to diagnose and treat cancer, with greater NHS access to private facilities in order to ‘clear the backlog’.

The group of charities estimate that millions of people have had their cancer care affected in some way by the pandemic. One Cancer Voice estimates at least 43,700 fewer people got treatment for cancer from April 2020 compared to the equivalent period before the pandemic.

Michelle Mitchell, the boss of Cancer Research UK, which heads up One Cancer Voice, said: "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."