Local Cancer Alliances to share £200m pot for innovative care
By News England, , , , ,

Health authorities with the best ideas for stopping potential cancer patients “bouncing between GPs and hospitals” are to be given a share of a £200 million funding pot.

NHS England has made the funds available to regional Cancer Alliances to help find innovative ways to diagnose the disease earlier and prevent patients being passed repeatedly between healthcare providers.

It is also calling on the local health authorities to come up with ways to improve care for patients with cancer and after treatment.

NHS England has also announced the sites which will benefit from investment in radiotherapy machines.

Speaking at the Britain Against Cancer conference, NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens (pictured) said: “Across the country, the NHS is now making great strides in upgrading modern cancer radiotherapy equipment and ensuring faster access to the most promising new cancer drugs.

“Because the quality of NHS cancer care has improved so much over the past year, an extra 2,000 families will be able to celebrate the Christmas holiday with a loved one who has successfully survived cancer.”

Fay Scullion, interim director for England at the charity Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “We are pleased that NHS England is making this money available to local structures, Cancer Alliances, to make sure everyone with cancer has access to the right treatment and support throughout their journey.

“This includes making sure people are diagnosed earlier and get personalised follow-up care.”

The hospital trusts which will receive the new radiotherapy machines are:

  • North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust.
  • The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
  • Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
  • The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust.
  • University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.
  • University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust.
  • Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust.
  • University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust.
  • University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust.
  • Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust.
  • Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
  • University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
  • University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.
  • Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust.
  • Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

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