Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support people with leukaemia in Lincolnshire.

It is a priority for the Government to support the National Health Service to diagnose cancer, including leukaemia, as early and quickly as possible, and to treat it faster, to improve outcomes for all patients across England, including in Lincolnshire.

To improve early diagnosis, the NHS is implementing non-specific symptom pathways for patients who present with symptoms such as weight loss and fatigue, which do not clearly align to a tumour type. Blood cancers are one of the most common cancer types diagnosed through these pathways.

NHS England has committed to ensuring that every person diagnosed with cancer, including leukaemia, has access to personalised care. This includes needs assessments, a care plan, and health and wellbeing information and support. Through the provision of information, personalised care empowers people to manage their care and the impact of their cancer. This approach ensures that each person’s care is planned holistically, covering mental and physical health, as well as any practical or financial concerns.

Following publication of the 10-Year Health Plan, we will publish a new National Cancer Plan. The plan will include details on how we will further improve cancer outcomes and support for all cancer patients, including those with leukaemia.