Cancer survival rates: NHS to face 'crisis of unmanageable proportions'

Official figures confirmed that there are now 2.5 million people in the United Kingdom suffering from cancer or living with its after-effects.

16:07 06 January 2015

The NHS has been warned that cancer, which affects a record number of 2.5 million people in the United Kingdom, is likely to bring “a crisis of unmanageable proportions.”

Macmillan Cancer Support said that although the survival rates are improving, a growing number of people had not returned to full health because of the side effects. This, it said, will put “huge pressure” on the NHS.

For this, the organisation has called for political parties to commit to “urgent action” on cancer care in their manifestos.

Lynda Thomas, chief executive of Macmillan, said: “As numbers surge, the NHS will soon be unable to cope with the huge increase in demand for health services and the support that organisations like Macmillan provide will become even more urgent and important.”

She added: “Macmillan believes that everyone should have health and social care at the time they need it… because it leads to better outcomes.”

Macmillan said that all parties should exert conscious effort to deliver survival rates that match the best in Europe and invest in delivering “recovery packages” to all cancer survivors that addressed their long-term health needs.