Government publishes Major Conditions Strategy framework
We are still waiting for the final strategy to be published
Today, the Department for Health and Social Care published a strategic framework as part of the development of its Major Conditions Strategy. The new strategy, due to be published in the coming year, will set out a plan to prevent, diagnose, treat and manage six major health conditions, including cancer, in England.
At Pancreatic Cancer UK, we’re calling for pancreatic cancer and the other less survivable cancers (brain, liver, lung, stomach and oesophageal) to be placed at the heart of this strategy.
Anna Jewell, interim CEO of Pancreatic Cancer UK said:
“We welcome this step towards publication of the Government’s Major Conditions Strategy. Over the last two years, we worked hard to make sure the voices of those affected by pancreatic cancer were heard in the consultation process. With the publication of the Government’s framework, we remain determined that less survivable cancers like pancreatic cancer should be at the heart of their approach to cancer policy.
Today’s approach to cancer treatment and care simply doesn’t work for less survivable cancers. Pathways are too slow, treatments can be ineffective, and research is woefully underfunded. But it doesn’t have to be this way. With the Major Conditions Strategy, the Government has an opportunity to right these wrongs once and for all and give people with the deadliest cancers, like pancreatic cancer, the chance they deserve.”
Today’s approach to cancer treatment and care simply doesn’t work for pancreatic cancer. We remain determined that less survivable cancers like pancreatic cancer should be at the heart of the Government's approach to cancer policy.
“Hundreds of people affected by pancreatic cancer took the time to share their experiences of treatment and care as part of the consultations over the last two years. And thousands more joined our #NoTimeToWait campaign calling for action. These people deserve to be heard. We need to see urgent action to:
- Dedicate resource to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer amongst the general public and key healthcare professionals, alongside ensuring everyone at risk of hereditary pancreatic cancer has access to surveillance programmes on the NHS by 2024
- Invest in targeted, innovative research including developing a simple biomarker test for pancreatic cancer
- Provide capacity and workforce to implement best practice pathways so that by 2027 everyone with pancreatic cancer is diagnosed within 21 days of referral
- Implement Pancreatic Cancer UK’s expert-led Optimal Care Pathway to eliminate variation and standardise high-quality care across England by 2025.”
The new Major Conditions Strategy covers England only. Find out about how we are influencing cancer strategies across the UK.