North Swindon MP Supports New Cancer Workforce Plan

Justin Tomlinson, MP for North Swindon, has welcomed the announcement of a new Cancer Workforce Plan. 

Current cancer survival rates are at a record high, with 7,000 more people surviving cancer than if mortality rates had stayed at 2010 levels. It is thought that this year 2,100 more people will survive cancer than last year.

Since 2010 there has been a 49% increase in diagnostic tests, with 970,000 more people seeing specialists and 57,000 more people starting treatment.

The Government wants to build on these improvements in cancer survival rates and has announced its Cancer Workforce Plan.

The plan will recruit 200 extra clinical endoscopists and 300 more radiographers, and the fast track clinical endoscopists programme is being doubled to train another 200 by 2020. In addition to this 300 diagnostic reporting radiographers will be trained by 2020. We are also employing an extra 316 more gastroenterologists and 94 additional histopathologists.

As part of the Cancer Workforce plan, that Government has also pledged to provide more support for clinical nurse specialists to give them the skills to lead services and provide the best care to people with cancer.

Justin Tomlinson MP said: “It is great to see that more and more people are beating cancer. I welcome the announcement of the Cancer Workforce Plan, it will provide the foundations for a responsive and effective workforce well in to the future.”