In positive news, earlier this week the Chancellor announced \u00a32.3 billion across the next 3 years<\/a> for transforming diagnostic services, investment meant to set up at least 100 new Community Diagnostic Centres across England.<\/p>\n \u2018One stop shop\u2019 diagnostic centres have the potential not only to expand capacity, with welcome new scanners, blood testing labs, endoscopy suites and other important testing kit. They will also bring diagnostic tests together in new sites set in communities across the country \u2013 helping patients more easily access these key cancer tests.<\/p>\n This money was accompanied by another \u00a31.5 billion to expand the number of beds in NHS hospitals and set up new surgical hubs with extra theatres to tackle backlogs in urgent procedures, which could make important progress in tackling growing waits for cancer patients.<\/p>\n Of course, the new equipment will need an expanded cancer workforce to operate it \u2013 and here there\u2019s also some positive signs, but with a lot of uncertainty remaining.<\/p>\n We estimated that the Government needed to invest around \u00a3216 million across the next 3 years into training a cancer workforce able to deliver world class cancer care.<\/p>\n Today, the Government announced there will be \u2018hundreds of millions of pounds of additional funding\u2019<\/a> to build a bigger, better trained NHS workforce.<\/p>\n A promising commitment, but it\u2019s still far from clear how this money will be targeted \u2013 meaning we don\u2019t yet know whether this increased investment will see growing numbers of staff in the cancer workforce. We will be pushing for that to be the case.<\/p>\n Now the Government and the NHS need to urgently clarify that today\u2019s announcement will deliver the vital investment needed to grow the cancer workforce. This will be key to turning their commitments to improve cancer outcomes into reality.<\/p>\n In his speech, the Chancellor committed to spend \u00a320 billion in R&D by 2025, and \u00a322bn by 2027. While this is a disappointing scale back of what was originally promised (\u00a322 billion by 2025), it is still a strong boost to R&D funding with a clear trajectory for spending increases.<\/p>\n Within this, \u00a35 billion for health research over the next 3 years has been allocated, which represents a \u00a31.2 billion increase between now and 2025. This funding includes \u00a395 million to deliver the Government\u2019s \u2018Life Sciences Vision\u2019<\/a>, including its commitments to cancer, as well as \u00a330 million for the National Institute for Health Research to invest in research skills and training for healthcare staff underrepresented in research.<\/p>\n While a lot depends on how and when this spending is distributed, this increase in health research could provide much-needed support for cancer researchers and help strengthen the UK\u2019s ability to improve cancer outcomes through research.<\/p>\n Preventable disease continues to have a massive impact on our nation\u2019s health, the NHS and the wider economy \u2013 something that only became clearer during the pandemic.<\/p>\n Despite this, the Spending Review announced no real terms increase in the public health grant. This follows the significant cuts Local Government has experienced in recent years, with the most deprived local authorities facing the most severe reductions.<\/p>\n Vital services \u2013 like those that can help people stop smoking, maintain a healthy weight and manage their alcohol intake \u2013 are experiencing severe strain and this will do nothing to relieve it. The Chancellor has also missed a key opportunity to undo the damage to public health and to Government revenues of years of alcohol duty freezes.<\/p>\n And while we were pleased to see an increase in tobacco taxes, it\u2019s nowhere near what will be required to make smoking obsolete. That\u2019s because increasing taxes is just one piece of puzzle \u2013 what we need are tobacco control comprehensive strategies with services to help people quit smoking, something this money won\u2019t be specifically earmarked for.<\/p>\nEarly positive signs on workforce, but clarity needed<\/h2>\n
Boosting research and innovation \u2013 but not as much as promised<\/h2>\n
Investment in public health<\/h2>\n
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