Every cancer patient to get individual support plan
Shaun Davies MP has today welcomed the Government’s newly announced National Cancer Plan, which will ensure that every cancer patient receives a tailored plan covering treatment, mental health, and employment support.
Shaun has also paid tribute to the progress made announced by SaTH this week in diagnosing or ruling out suspected cancer within 28 days, meaning patients across Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin are receiving answers more quickly and experiencing shorter waits. SaTH are now the second-best-performing trust in the country for the 28-day Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS) after being the bottom placed trust a year ago – 119 out of 119 in February 2025.
Today the Governments landmark plan sets out clear commitments to deliver faster diagnosis, quicker treatment, and improved support for people living with and beyond cancer. It includes a pledge to meet all cancer waiting time standards by 2029 and an ambition that three in four patients diagnosed from 2035 will be cancer-free or living well five years after diagnosis.
Shaun Davies MP said: “Like every family in Telford mine has been impacted by cancer, and 1 in 2 of us will have cancer in our lifetimes, that why this is so important to us all.
“This is positive news, both nationally and here in Telford, yes, we still have mountains to climb when it comes to Telford’s NHS, but it’s important to recognise the progress being made. Faster diagnosis means less anxiety, earlier treatment, and better outcomes and that can be life-changing people.
“Local organisations like Lingen Davies Cancer Support play an essential role too and I was delighted to meet with the Wales Minister only yesterday to discuss the Lingen Davies’ Sunflower Appeal in detail and to ask to work together to support the charity in raising £5m for Telford’s first ever cancer treatment centre. I will work with the UK Government, the Welsh Government, NHS England and Lingen Davies to get the funding we need. Their £5 million campaign for a new cancer centre in Telford would transform care for thousands of local people by ensuring more support is available closer to home and this is something I am truly committed to raising awareness. I know what an incredible difference it will make to those receiving cancer treatment who live in our town.”
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting said: “If you’ve ever sat in a waiting room dreading what comes next or laid awake at 3am wondering how you’ll pay the bills while you’re off work for treatment, you’ll know that cancer doesn’t just attack your body – it takes over your whole life. I was fortunate. I had a supportive employer, a family who could rally around me, and the financial security to focus on getting better. But I know that’s not everyone’s reality – and it shouldn’t be based on luck. For too long, we’ve treated the tumour and left patients to figure out the rest on their own. That ends now. This plan means nobody gets handed a diagnosis and is then abandoned to navigate the system alone.
“This is care that actually fits around people’s lives, not the other way around. It’s the biggest shift in how we support cancer patients in a generation.”
