Dear constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer services. I agree with you that we need a fully resourced plan to address backlogs.

Cancer Research UK estimates that 40,000 fewer people started cancer treatment over the last year, three million screenings were missed and there was a 39% drop in the number of key diagnostic tests carried out.

The Government had promised to give the NHS “whatever it needs” to cope during the pandemic. However, at the Budget in March the Chancellor outlined a reduction in day-to-day health spending, which includes a £9 billion cut to NHS England.

The Office for Budget Responsibility confirmed that, beyond next year, the Government has made no provision to address the backlog of unmet clinical need.

I am concerned that the Budget failed to address the crucial and long-term funding needs of our health service. NHS staff, who have put their lives on the line, need the resources to rebuild our National Health Service. Instead, Ministers are cutting day-to-day health spending and they have proposed a real term pay cut for hardworking staff.

With record numbers of patients waiting for diagnostic tests, I believe we need an urgent and fully resourced plan to tackle backlogs and enable our health service to move between the competing demands of the COVID-19 pandemic and non-COVID-19-related care.

The Government should make good on its promise to ensure that our health service is fully resourced to provide effective, timely diagnosis and referral and make sure that all cancer patients receive the care and treatment they need.

More widely, the NHS Confederation has warned that without the much needed investment in the workforce, NHS trusts across England will be unable to recover lost capacity or address growing backlogs. I believe the Government must put together a proper solution for recruitment and retention, starting with a guarantee of a fair and decent pay rise for all NHS staff, in recognition of their dedication throughout the pandemic.

Thank you once again for contacting me about this important issue.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Dowd MP