New National Cancer Plan sets out long term vision for cancer care in England
The government has published a new National Cancer Plan for England, setting out how cancer care and outcomes could change over the next 10 years. It includes a headline ambition for 3 out of 4 people diagnosed with cancer to survive for 5 years or more by 2035.
The plan has been developed by the Department of Health and Social Care and published in February 2026.
What is the National Cancer Plan?
The National Cancer Plan sets out how the NHS and its partners aim to improve cancer care across England. It focuses on the whole cancer pathway, from prevention and screening, through diagnosis and treatment, to ongoing support for people living with cancer.
Key aims include improving survival rates, reducing waiting times, and making sure people feel better supported and informed throughout their care. The plan also recognises that people’s experiences of cancer services do not always meet expectations and that change is needed to improve consistency, access and outcomes.
A long term survival target
One of the headline commitments in the plan is to improve cancer survival so that 75% of people diagnosed in 2035 are still alive five years later. The government estimates this could result in 320,000 more lives saved over the lifetime of the plan.
The plan also aims for England’s cancer survival rates to match the best performing countries in Europe by 2035, including for rarer and less survivable cancers.
What the plan aims to change first
In the nearer term, the plan sets out priorities to improve the parts of cancer care that people often tell Healthwatch matter most.
These include:
- faster diagnosis, including meeting cancer waiting time standards by 2029
- better access to diagnostic tests, including more tests delivered closer to home
- improved coordination of care so people are not passed between services or left chasing updates
- greater use of digital tools to manage appointments, results and feedback
The plan places strong emphasis on improving performance where services are struggling most, rather than applying a one size fits all approach across the NHS.
Prevention and screening
A significant part of the National Cancer Plan focuses on preventing cancer and detecting it earlier, when treatment is more likely to be successful.
Commitments in the plan include:
- rolling out lung cancer screening nationally by 2030
- improving bowel, cervical and breast screening, including better access for people who face barriers to screening
- tackling smoking and vaping, which remain leading causes of preventable cancer
The plan also recognises that cancer outcomes are often worse in more deprived communities and aims to reduce these inequalities through targeted screening and prevention efforts.
Support during and after cancer treatment
The plan recognises that cancer does not end when treatment finishes. Many people live with long term effects, ongoing monitoring, or cancer as a long term condition.
It sets out ambitions to:
- provide personalised care and support planning alongside treatment
- improve support for people returning to work or managing daily life after cancer
- offer clearer follow up and ongoing contact for people living with cancer
Improving quality of life during and after cancer is described as a core part of improving outcomes overall, not an optional extra.
What this could mean for people in North Yorkshire
Although the plan is national, many of its commitments depend on how services are planned and delivered locally. This includes access to diagnostic tests, waiting times for referrals and treatment, and the support people receive after treatment ends.
People in North Yorkshire may experience changes over time in:
- how quickly tests and results are provided
- where appointments take place, including more services closer to home
- how care is coordinated between different services
Healthwatch North Yorkshire will continue to listen to people’s experiences of cancer services and share what we hear with NHS decision makers to help inform local improvement.
