3 December 2007
The Prime Minister has outlined details of a five-year cancer strategy aimed at improving care for patients and implementing stronger preventative measures.
Speaking to journalists during a visit to the Royal Marsden hospital in London, Mr Brown said that the plans provided a "road-map to a higher standard of care" and demonstrated the Government’s commitment to tackling the disease.
He said:
"We must do more to ensure treatment is of the highest quality and I believe this plan can act as a road map to a higher standard of care, available to all. Our investment in world-class radiotherapy will ensure all of us have access to the best care when we are most in need."
The strategy will see an extra £370 million invested in NHS cancer services by 2010. Measures already announced, such as extending breast-screening to women aged 43 to 74, will be complemented by initiatives to provide greater long-term assistance to survivors and their families and raising awareness of lifestyle choices.
The Government will consult on banning the sale of tobacco in vending machines, reducing cigarette displays in shops and making changes to cigarette packaging.
The PM said:
"Our next steps must reflect the very highest priority that we as a country attach to combatting this disease. But this must be combined with greater responsibility from individuals to change aspects of their behaviour, such as smoking, to reduce their own risk."
Following the visit, the PM hosted a seminar on cancer and healthcare issues in Downing Street. Representatives from a number of bodies, including Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support, took part in the discussion.
The Royal Marsden Hospital, with sites in Chelsea and Surrey, was the world’s first centre dedicated to cancer treatment and research into the causes of cancer. Along with the Institute of Cancer Research, it forms the largest comprehensive cancer centre in Europe with over 40,000 patients from the UK and abroad seen each year.
Health Secretary Alan Johnson, who accompanied the PM to the Royal Marsden, will take part in a live webchat at Number 10 on 6 December.
Image copyright: Reuters
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