MP for Chichester calls on Government to increase funding for radiotherapy technology on World Cancer Day
On Tuesday, World Cancer Day, Jess Brown-Fuller MP called for a renewed effort to address the current issues facing cancer treatment provision in Chichester and across the UK.
The MP for Chichester responded to a government statement outlining their 10-year cancer strategy in her role as Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Hospitals and Primary Care
In Chichester, only 62.5% of patients were treated within the 62-day target following an urgent referral. This falls below the target of 85% and the national average of 69.2%. Meanwhile, 1,000 families in the Chichester constituency lose a loved one to cancer every year.
Jess urged the government to commit to further rounds of funding for outdated radiotherapy machines and to improve access across the country, following their announcement of £70 million in funding at the Autumn Budget. In West Sussex, there is currently no access to radiotherapy services, forcing patients to travel outside the county for treatment.
Earlier in the day, Jess met with Radiotherapy UK and their patron, former England captain Bryan Robson, to discuss the lack of radiotherapy services in West Sussex and the impact this has on cancer patients.
"Everyone has a cancer story and will be affected by the government’s announcement of a 10-year cancer strategy. We know that our NHS has been decimated by the Conservative government, which has undermined the efforts of our healthcare professionals to move the dial in the fight against cancer,” said Jess Brown-Fuller.
"Whilst we in the Liberal Democrats welcome the renewed focus on cancer treatment, we need more investment and faster action. The fact that people in West Sussex have no access to radiotherapy services is a disgrace that needs to be immediately addressed," she said, adding that, "we need to push harder to meet the 62-day urgent referral target, which hasn’t been consistently achieved in nearly a decade. The Liberal Democrats wish to introduce a legal guarantee that patients will be seen with the 62-day target"