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Press & Media

If you are a journalist, we will be happy to:

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Please contact us at catchupwithcancer@radiotherapy.org.uk or call  0203 051 5671

Featured press coverage below

2024

  • 30 September | Professor Pat Price provides a comment for The Guardian on an article regarding the Health Secretary’s consideration of re-establishing a comprehensive cancer strategy. Professor Price states “The new government has inherited a colossal cancer crisis. The decision made by the previous government to scrap the cancer plan was a disaster for cancer patients. All the international evidence points to the fact that having a consistent cancer plan leads to better cancer survival.” | Streeting considers reviving dedicated cancer strategy after Tories axed it | Cancer | The Guardian
  • 20 September | Professor Pat Price provides comments for the iNews on the figures that over 300,000 patients face delays to their cancer treatment. She says that the “brutal reality is that we have a cancer crisis in this country. It causes life-threatening delays in treatments and worse outcomes than in other countries, we were at the bottom of the cancer league table before the pandemic and we’ve just not recovered.” | Medics warn of ‘cancer crisis’ as over 300,000 patients face treatment delays (inews.co.uk)

The Press Association also did a write up that went far and wide. it is featured widely alongside a new CRUK report on smoking and cancer.

 80 local articles – eg https://www.expressandstar.com/news/uk-news/2024/07/09/cancers-caused-by-smoking-reach-uk-high-of-160-new-cases-per-day/

  • 7 July | The Daily Express launches its own manifesto that includes 10 pledges the new Government should take into consideration, this NHS and the newspaper’s continued support for investment in radiotherapy for 200 more machines and ending the postcode lottery of care. Their 10-point manifesto landed the front page and editorial, with a comment from Professor Pat Price featuring on page 4: “Upgrading our ageing radiotherapy machines and getting more of them, as well as supporting and expanding our world class front line workforce, is one of the most obvious ways to dramatically cut cancer treatment waiting times.” | 10 point common sense plan Labour must follow after winning huge major | Politics | News | Express.co.uk

  • 19 June | RadiotherapyUK, #CatchUpWithCancer and Radiotherapy4Life all participated among many other cancer charities in an Online Day of Action. Each charity that took part used the hashtag #OneCancer Voice, in addition to tagging each health spokesperson from each major political party. We used the #CatchUpWithCancer petition to send those who signed a template to use if they wanted to partake – over 110 individuals tagged us and featured in this online day of action.
  • 17 June |In an exclusive for the Daily Mail, Professor Pat Price and the Catch Up with Cancer Campaign were mentioned as expert opinions in light of the shocking figures that reveal late diagnosis for cancer patients. – “So many cancers are being picked up at A&E is a sure-fire sign that our national approach to cancer simply isn’t working… That is why I urge all politicians concerned to accept the need to boost treatment capacity too, particularly in areas such as radiotherapy.” | Grim toll of ‘missed’ cancers: 100,000 patients diagnosed with the disease at a late stage in A&E when a cure is unlikely, shocking new five year figures suggest | Daily Mail Online
  • 15 June | The Liberal Democrats, following its pledge to commit to replacing ageing radiotherapy cancer treatment machines and increasing its overall number, has issued a press release naming Radiotherapy UK as a leading charity. There is mention of radiotherapy ‘desert areas’ in addition to investment in radiotherapy machines would position the NHS amongst ‘the top of the league tables’, according to Radiotherapy UK. Following this, there has been further coverage of the Liberal Democrats’ commitment to improving radiotherapy. | Lib Dems announce £1bn plan to improve radiotherapy cancer care and cut waiting times – Liberal Democrats (libdems.org.uk)

The following lists outlets that have covered the contents of the press release so far.

  • 11 March | Professor Pat Price provided expert reaction in a detailed BBC piece covering a devastating case study of a former NHS nurse who has had to wait 158 days for urgent treatment for stage three bowel cancer. She argued that patients are being “let down” by severe waiting times, as “some cancer patients are not being kept safe and that is not acceptable” | Cancer patients ‘at risk’ due to treatment delays, doctors say
  • 27 February | Sarah Quinlan MBE, Director of Radiotherapy UK, appeared on the Jeremy Vine show reacting to research by the University College London finding that the UK lags behind other comparable countries in treating older cancer patients. She argued that this research underlines the urgent need for a dedicated national cancer plan in the UK, amidst public outcry for improved cancer treatment services.
  • 8 February: Professor Pat Price featured on the Today Programme Podcast in an in-depth interview, part of a show on cancer following King Charles’ diagnosis and featuring Stephen Fry who is currently undergoing treatment for prostate cancer. She argued for the urgent need for better treatment facilities. | You can listen to her interview from 22 mins, following the link here.
  • Following the latest monthly release of Cancer Waiting Times, Professor Price again featured prominently in the media, reacting to continued poor performance and calling for a dedicated cancer plan to redress the current crisis urgently. In context of the King’s diagnosis and recent national attention on cancer, she argued that, “If ever there was a time for a serious new priority on cancer, backed by radical action, it must be now.” Her reaction again received national coverage in the Guardian, as well as regional coverage via the Press Association newswire, a small selection of which is below:

 

  • 31 January | The #CatchUpWithCancer major campaign event received extensive coverage in the media, outlined in full below:

Our analysis of NHS Cancer Waiting Time data featured prominently in the front page of the print and online editions of the Guardian, on the morning of the event. Alongside our analysis of patient delays broken down by cancer type, Professor Pat Price’s quote was included: “the deepest cancer crisis” of her 30-year career” | Next Government should declare NHS a national emergency, experts warn.

    •  BBC English Regions attended our World Cancer Day event on the morning of the 31st, recording footage of the unfurling of our visual banner and conducting interviews with patients and representatives of the charities supporting us on the day. The 1pm BBC London News covered the event, with Maureen Martin, a patient associated with Myeloma UK, a charity supporting us on the day, providing a reaction on the current cancer crisis | a video clip of the interview is attached.
    • 31 January |  Daily Mail covered the demonstration and the banner’s main message in its headline, as well as a quote from Professor Pat Price calling on dedicated cancer plan to tackle the cancer crisis | The line of cancer patients waiting more than 60 days for treatment would stretch from London to Cardiff, campaigners say as they march on Parliament.
    •  The Press Association covered the demonstration outside Parliament, with Professor Pat Price’s call on all political parties to “to acknowledge the cancer crisis and commit to delivering a plan to tackle it” featuring, alongside a photo of the demonstration, in over 100 regional outlets. A small selection is below:

o   Yahoo News | Tens of thousands of patients waiting for routine treatment

o   Oxford Mail | Thousands of Oxford patients waiting for routine treatments

o   Barnet Post | The Royal Free: all the key numbers for the NHS Trust in November

o   London World | University College London Hospitals Trust: all the key numbers for the NHS Trust in November

o   Petersfield Post | Southern Health: all the key numbers for the NHS Trust in November

o   Warwickshire World | Coventry and Warwickshire University Hospitals Trust: all the key numbers for the NHS Trust in November

o   Plymouth Times | Plymouth Hospitals Trust: all the key numbers for the NHS Trust in November

  • 11 January | Professor Pat Price was interviewed on Talk TV to give some perspective on pancreatic cancer and the news that Sven Goran Ericsson has been diagnosed with the disease. She was able to comment on the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce report revealing the UK is one of the worst performing countries amidst similarly sized economies for treating cancer. She called for urgent action and the implementation of a dedicated cancer plan. You can watch her interview here, from minute 36:55: Talk TV, Vanessa Feltz
  • 11 January | Professor Price featured in The Guardian in a detailed piece covering a new report by the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce, comparing similarly sized economies to the UK and finding it near the bottom of the rankings for nearly all major cancers. Professor Price was heavily critical of the UK’s “abysmal cancer survival rates”, arguing that a “radical cancer plan holds the key to significant performance improvements and better survival rates” | UK has some of worst cancer survival rates in developed world, report says
  •  3 January | Professor Price was quoted in a British Medical Journal piece calling out the “positive spin” of NHS England communications risking a shift in the narrative away from the reality of a worsening cancer crisis “lulling the public and politicians into an ‘all okay here, no need to do anything different’ mentality” | NHS England’s “celebratory” cancer check announcement does not reflect reality, charities say
  •  1 January | Professor Pat Price featured in a Guardian article critiquing recent NHS communication on seemingly improving cancer statistics, namely in increased diagnostics. She was quoted, including in the headline, warning of the “smoke and mirrors” of misleading data hiding “the worst cancer care crisis in my lifetime” | NHS data for England showing rise in cancer checks is misleading, say experts

2023

  •  31 December | Professor Pat Price was interviewed on the LBC radio station speaking with Carol Vorderman commenting on the cancer crisis and worsening cancer waiting times.
  • 15 December | We led our usual engagement with the monthly release of NHS England Cancer Waiting Time data, which this month (for October figures) revealed the second worst cancer waiting time figures on record for the key 62-day target for starting treating following an urgent referral. Professor Pat Price’s reaction with cited in a large piece in the Daily Mail as well as over 100 regional pieces via our engagement with the Press Association newswire. She called for a “handbrake turn” on cancer, meaning a “dedicated radical new cancer plan, with a focus on tackling treatment delays and a monumental effort to get investment to frontline services.” A selection of articles, including the Daily Mail piece, are available below:

o   Daily Mail | NHS waiting list FINALLY shrinks but Rishi Sunak warns massive backlog of 7.7million ops will still grow this winter amid looming threat of strikes

o   Oxford Mail | Oxford University Hospitals Trust wait for treatment

o   Yahoo News | ‘Severe strain’ on hospitals trust leaving thousands waiting for treatment

o   Echo News | Mid and South Essex NHS Trust: patient national backlog reducing

o   Cornish Times | Royal Cornwall Hospitals: all the key numbers for the NHS Trust in October

o   London World | Barts Health: all the key numbers for the NHS Trust in October

o   Ross Gazette | The Wye Valley Trust: all the key numbers for the NHS Trust in October

o   Farnham Herald | The Royal Surrey County Hospital: all the key numbers for the NHS Trust in October

28th July – August:

  • Professor Pat Price was interviewed by both the BBC and Channel 4 broadcast, featuring broadly on national television reacted to the Cancer Waiting Time data.

24th July: Coverage of Grahame Morris’ intervention in the Accessibility in Radiotherapy debate featured in Chronicle Live, who quoted him arguing for more investment in radiotherapy AI technology as “potentially a force multiplier” to improve productivity | County Durham MP who has beat cancer twice calls for AI to help NHS with radiotherapy

19 July: We worked with the Martyn Brown from the Daily Express to secure coverage of Selaine Saxby’s Westminster Hall debate on Accessibility in Radiotherapy. The article focused on the solutions that investment in radiotherapy would bring to tackle the cancer crisis and reduce waiting times, namely that £200 million would ensure that all radiotherapy machinery in the UK is up to date | £200million could replace UK’s out-of-date radiotherapy machines, MPs insist

14 July: Professor Pat Price was quoted in the Daily Mail saying that “the tragedy for patients is that constant failure against key targets is becoming the new norm” | Damning price of crippling NHS strikes laid bare: Hospital waiting lists soar to another record high with 7.47million patients stuck in queue amid warnings thousands more ops will be cancelled due to 5-day junior doctors walk-out

13 July: Monthly cancer waiting times were released for May 2023, revealing a second consecutive monthly decline in number of patients waiting longer than 62 days for treatment following urgent referral by a GP. Nearly half of cancer patients for this month were waiting beyond 62 days. The data also confirmed the longest ever waits for access to radiotherapy cancer treatments. Our analysis showed that, if we continue like this, by the end of the year up to 45,000 cancer patients could face deadly delays for cancer treatment. We reached out to journalists with a reaction quote from Professor Pat Price which received an impressive amount of coverage both in the national and local press, including in over 100 online news outlets via the Press Association! A summary of this coverage is below

13 July: Professor Pat Price was quoted in a piece in The Independent focused around the key 58.7% of patients meeting the 62-day target, falling far short of 85% target | Cancer wait times continue to fall well below target

3 July: Professor Pat Price was interviewed on Times Radio on NHS staff, highlighting the working conditions, under which staff working in cancer care, and radiotherapy, are forced to work. You can listen to the full interview here

29 June: As part of In Conversation series, the St George’s House organisation hosted a long interview with Professor Pat Price, discussing her career and the healthcare service in the UK from the aftermath of Covid-19 and its impact on the NHS and cancer services, to the currently desperate situation in radiotherapy care | St George’s House Online Conversations

26 June: Professor Pat Price was invited to speak on the Good Morning Britain television programme reacting to the Duchess of York’s positive cancer prognosis. She argued that such a quick turnaround from early diagnosis to treatment is not the norm for most individuals in the UK, with cancer waiting time targets no being met and the whole cancer pathway being severely compromised. You can watch the programme here. 

The Liverpool Echo covered the Good Morning Britain interview, more specifically Professor Price’s urge that all women receiving NHS invitation for routine mammogram screenings should do so promptly in order to support NHS efforts in achieving earlier diagnoses | Good Morning Britain guest issues stark warning to all women over 50

22 June: As part of the Express’s campaign for expanded radiotherapy investment, Martyn Brown featured a detailed piece on Radiotherapy UK’s latest report detailing the perilous levels of underfunding facing radiotherapy services in the UK, citing 36 out-of-dates treatment machines in England that need replacing, and revealing that only about a quarter of the population in England are within the 45-minute NHS travel time target of access to treatment. The article featured in both the print edition, of which a photo is attached, and online | Radiotherapy treatment is ‘overlooked and underfunded’ in England, report warns

18 June: Professor Pat Price was included in a comment piece written by Miriam Cates MP in the Telegraph on cost-efficiencies of radiotherapy treatment in saving staff time | Don’t blame public servants for Britain’s woeful productivity

17 June: Professor Pat Price was featured on Radio Times Live radio, again highlighting some of the major issues in cancer, and radiotherapy more specifically, sighting the demands that Radiotherapy UK is working to highlight

16 June: Professor Pat Price was featured on TalkTV Live Radio highlighting the current issues in radiotherapy, as well as mentioning Radiotherapy UK and the #CatchUpWithCaancer campaign.

6 June: Professor Pat Price was featured on Times Radio discussing the consequences of delayed cancer treatment on patients

2 June: As part of the Daily Express’s campaign calling for expanded radiotherapy treatment, the Daily Express ran a piece on “cancer commutes” and the travel time to nearest radiotherapy centres, using analysis from Radiotherapy UK and the #CatchUpWithCancer campaign. Professor Pat Price was quoted in the piece – also attached – alongside supportive MPs Philip Davies MP, Selaine Saxby MP and Tim Farron MP | Cancer centre shortage: 3.4 million living beyond 45-minute travel time for treatment

30 May: Professor Pat Price was quoted in the Telegraph on the dangerous consequences of delayed cancer treatment, the need to deal with the backlog caused by the pandemic and the significantly high cancer treatment waiting times | At 34, Jon has incurable bowel cancer – all because the NHS turned into a Covid-only service  

11 May: Reacting to the latest quarterly release of NHS England Waiting Time figures (Q4 2022/2023), Professor Pat Price was quoted in a wide array of outlets in both national and regional press, most notably featuring in the print editions of the Daily Mail and Daily Express, and across over 90 regional and online hits via the Press Association. 

In a large piece in the print edition of the Daily Mail, the 62-day waiting time figure was used to highlight that the backlog in cancer treatment is once again at a record-high, with a quote from Professor Pat Price | Strikes ruin NHS hopes eliminating 18-month waits

Professor Pat Price’s quote also featured prominently in the Daily Express, in print edition as well as online, highlighting not only that “cancer patients are likely to continue to die from waiting as well as from cancer itself”, but also of the desperate need for “a dedicated cancer-specific plan” | We are cutting waiting lists PM insists as backlog hits record 7.3m

Professor Pat Price was quoted in full in the Telegraph, stating that “the powers that be might try and cherry pick glimmers of light in the numbers going through diagnostics” | Ten NHS trusts responsible for nearly half of UK’s patient backlog

30th April: Professor Pat Price was quoted in a Telegraph article covering the historical walkout of cancer nurses last week, the first strike of cancer nurses in the history of the NHS, stating that “whatever the rights or wrongs of the industrial action this will clearly have an impact on cancer patients, which is desperately sad for everyone.” 

28th April: Radiotherapy tech bosses have called on the health secretary to fund the sector and improve cancer treatment in the UK. A letter signed by AdvaMed, Accuray, Elekta and Varian was published in the Daily Express as part of its ongoing radiotherapy campaign. The article draws attention to the growing backlog in cancer treatment and waiting times, worsened by the pandemic. Read the full letter here.

22nd April: Professor Pat Price was quoted in the Telegraph, on the news that cancer operations were cancelled more in Britain than in almost anywhere else in Western Europe, highlighting that there must be a giant political push on cancer recovery. Britain suffers cancer crisis after pandemic prioritised Covid

30th March: A letter from Professor Pat Price and other leading oncologists and cancer experts was sent to the NHS England board earlier this week, and this was also featured in the Daily Express (print addition, photo attached). The letter warned NHS Board members that the UK is at a critical point in dealing with the crisis in cancer, and that unless urgent resources are provided for severely underfunded services such as radiotherapy, cancer numbers will only worsen.

Professor Pat Price featured on ITV News and a related Tonight programme on ITV1. She was interviewed on the current state of cancer care in the UK, and discussed the benefits of radiotherapy as a low-cost, efficient, and less invasive form of treatment that can effectively tackle rising waiting times for cancer treatment | ‘I’m buying back my life’: Desperate NHS patients forced to seek private healthcare | ITV News| Tonight – Series 25 – Episode 9 – ITVX.

Professor Pat Price also featured on the Telegraph podcast, Planet Normal, looking at how the lockdown and Covid-19 affected cancer services in the UK. She spoke of the huge backlog in cancer waiting times | Planet Normal: Planet Normal’s Lockdown Heroes on Apple Podcasts

29th March: There was continued support and coverage for the Radiotherapy campaign in the Daily Express, with a feature of the new inquiry report released this week from the APPG for Radiotherapy, which highlighted the underfunded and outdated radiotherapy services that are placing the UK towards the bottom of work league tables for cancer treatment. This piece included the APPG’s inquiry report, they key recommendations, and a quote from Tim Farron MP, Chair of the APPG for Radiotherapy | Britain left lagging ‘far behind’ after life-saving cancer treatment left underfunded | The Daily Express.

26th March: Professor Pat Price was quoted showing support for a new satellite radiotherapy treatment unit at Kendal’s Westmorland General Hospital, which Tim Farron MP, Chair of the APPG for Radiotherapy, has been campaigning for| Calls for radiotherapy unit in Kendal backed by leading cancer specialist | Cumbria Crack.

9th March: Professor Pat Price’s reaction to the monthly release of the NHS cancer waiting time figures received coverage in around 100 local press articles via the Press Association, stating that “without a cancer plan and investment into treatment solutions, such as radiotherapy, I am worried that each month the number of cancer patients missing life-saving targets will continue to swell. East Sussex Healthcare: all the key numbers for the NHS Trust in January.

Professor Pat Price was quoted in a piece in the Times, in reaction to the monthly release of NHS cancer waiting time figures, which were the worst on record with nearly 1 in 2 cancer patients missing the 62-day targets.

Professor Pat Price was quoted in a Daily Mail, in reaction to the record-breaking cancer waiting time figures. So much for tackling the backlog! NHS waiting list shoots to ANOTHER record high with 7.21m waiting for routine ops – while cancer delays spiral to worst-ever level.

8th March: Continued coverage from the Daily Express as part of their radiotherapy campaign, including a comment from Professor Pat Price and a reference to Tim Farron’s mention in the Commons about the Express Campaign on 7th March

7th March: Professor Pat Price was quoted in the Daily Mail highlighting NHS England’s failure to return to pre-pandemic levels of patients waiting longer than 62 days for treatment post initial GP referral following the Health and Social Care Select Committee inquiry into NHS Cancer Care

1st March: Article in the Daily Express as part of their extensive campaign for radiotherapy investment which outlines the recent support from parliamentarians on the campaign, highlighting key support from Grahame Morris MP

27th February: Daily Express launches campaign for radiotherapy asking for £1 billion over 5 year investment to help get UK out of cancer crisis. Prof Pat Price and Bryan Robson pledge support for campaign.

9th February: Following the latest quarterly cancer waiting times, by NHS England, which showed a record-breaking number of cancer patients who missed the 62-day treatment target, Professor Pat Price was quoted in the Daily Mail

Professor Pat Price was also quoted in the Telegraph on the record-breaking cancer treatment waiting times.  

4 February: World Cancer Day- Following the parliamentary drop-in on 31st January, there was enormous media engagement over World Cancer Day and subsequent days:

Professor Pat Price: ‘The NHS can’t run at full capacity – bureaucracy is clogging the system’. Major interview with Professor Pat Price in the Telegraph. 

Times Letters Joint letter from Professor Richard Sullivan, Professor Pat Price, Professor Gordon Wishart, Dr Ajay Aggarwal and Professor Mark Lawler in the Times urging the Health Secretary to listen to the international evidence and reverse the position to remove the cancer plan.

Following the event, several parliamentarians released personalised press releases, including Henry Smith MP and Greg Smith MP.

Professor Pat Price was interviewed on Radio 5 (from 56:00).

3 February: The Telegraph, 51 MPs urge the Government to continue its ‘war on cancer’ after it u-turns on tackling backlogs.

25 January: Charities oppose united health strategy The Times, Professor Pat Price was quoted in The Times following the news that the Government had scrapped the cancer plan.

7th January: Professor Pat Price was featured in the Times on the need for a radical new cancer plan to tackle the backlog

2nd January: Professor Pat Price was featured in the Telegraph discussing record-breaking cancer waiting time figures

1st January: Professor Pat Price was featured in the Express, alongside Tim Farron MP, in regard to the Lancet Oncology response, demanding for radical and ambitious action to tackle the cancer crisis.

2022

24th December: Professor Pat Price was interviewed on Radio 4 discussing the UK’s cancer backlog (from 53:40)

22nd December: In a response to Professor Pat Price’s Lancet Oncology article, Tim Farron MP and Grahame Morris MP (Chair and Vice Chair of the APPG for Radiotherapy) wrote a response, also featured in Lancet Oncology, to highlight the frustration at rising deaths and record-breaking waiting times for cancer treatment.

The cross-party open letter to the Prime Minister asking for a prioritisation into the cancer backlog and an urgent investment in radiotherapy, signed by around 34 parliamentarians, was featured in the Telegraph, including quotes from Professor Pat Price and Tim Farron MP.

15th December: Prof Pat Price, Prof Gordon Wishart, Prof Richard Sullivan and Dr Amar Ahmed author essay – UK cancer care: a watershed moment and the need for urgent intervention. Highlighting the cancer crisis at a ‘watershed moment’ as cancer pathway is ‘overwhelmed’ and upward trend in excess cancer deaths ‘likely to continue’ – The Lancet Oncology

This powerful account of the UK’s cancer services was picked up via multiple media channels, Guardian: Times: Independent: Telegraph: Daily Mail: This is in the paper as well as online PA (via Wales Online):

8 December 2022: Daily Mail article on NHS waiting lists features quote from Professor Pat Price highlighting “heart breaking” record breaking cancer waiting times and calling for urgent Government action.

3rd December: The Express featured the story of #CatchUpWithCancer Campaign co-founders Craig and Mandy Russell’s daughter Kelly explaining that she sadly passed away from bowel cancer after her treatment was stopped during the COVID pandemic.

28th November:Professor Pat Price featured in a Telegraph article about compensation following delays to cancer treatment during the COVID pandemic.

23rd November: Professor Pat Price appears on Andrew Marr’s LBC show talking about the crisis in cancer care and the available solutions. 

Professor Pat Price and radiotherapy solutions feature in a Telegraph piece by Allison Pearson in both print and online

22nd November: Twitter: Tim Farron highlighting rising cancer treatment waiting times and the need to tackle the workforce crisis in vital treatment services such as radiotherapy during today’s Westminster Hall Debate on NHS Staffing Levels.

The Times highlighting the need for investment to catch up with cancer and ensure the NHS can capitalise on revolutionary new cancer treatments.

20th November: The Telegraph Prof Pat Price featured on the front page; excess cancer deaths and cancer backlog. 

17th November: MailOnline Professor Pat Price quoted in article on excess cancer deaths.

11th November, Professor Pat Price featured on Times Radio about waiting times for cancer treatment and the need for the Government to prioritise cancer and listen to the solutions provided by the radiotherapy frontline.

10th November, Professor Pat Price featured on a Newsnight piece on cancer waiting times talking about the importance of expanding treatment capacity to ensure patients are treated on time. The piece also used data analysis we had provided. Why is England’s cancer crisis getting worse? – BBC Newsnight

Professor Pat Price featured in an article in The Times calling for urgent action following the publication of the worst cancer treatment waiting times on record. Worst-ever NHS waiting times are costing lives, say doctors’ leaders

Professor Pat Price featured in an article in The Telegraph talking about the latest cancer waiting times data and the need to invest in treatment capacity, like radiotherapy, to catch up. Number of patients seeing cancer specialists within two weeks is ‘worst on record’.

15th October, Professor Pat Price is quoted in an article in the Daily Express focusing on the impact of the Government’s My Planned Care programme, which allows patients to compare waiting lists and treatment options, on cancer patients. Cancer warning over scheme allowing patients to ‘shop around’ for treatments

13th October, Professor Pat Price is quoted in a Telegraph article, in both print and online, following the publication of the latest NHS England waiting times data. Record seven million people on NHS waiting lists in England.  –The Daily Mail Professor Pat Price quoted latest figures as “devastating, after two-and-a-half years of disruption, there is still no plan to increase cancer treatment capacity”

12th October, Professor Pat Price quoted in an article in the Manchester Evening News about the crisis in cancer care. ‘Cancer crisis’ as thousands suffer delays to time-critical treatment and falling survival rates, warns leading doctor.

6th October: Professor Pat Price quoted in The Times (subscription required) “It has been over 6 months since the government declared a war on cancer and it feels like it has fallen off the agenda.” Follow on Twitter 

21st September: Professor Pat Price was quoted in an article in the Daily Mail on private cancer treatment capacity – Top NHS hospital pocketed £38m doing private surgery for Kuwait patients

10th September: Professor Pat Price was quoted in an article Prostate cancer deaths surge because of Covid pandemic | Daily Express about the impact of the pandemic on prostate cancer patients and the high cancer backlog.

8th September: Professor Pat Price was quoted in an article NHS crisis laid bare | Daily Mail about the latest NHS monthly cancer waiting time figures (released Thursday 8 September) which continue to show high waiting times. 

1st September: The #CatchUpWithCancer campaign and Radiotherapy UK were featured in the Lancet on the cancer and need for increased radiotherapy investment and capacity. Professor Pat Price quoted in an article in the Daily Express on the cancer crisis and need for change from the new Prime Minister. 

August: Professor Pat Price spoke on the Telegraph’s Planet Normal podcast about the ongoing cancer backlog listen from 23 minutes onwards. Planet Normal: The NHS and economy are in crisis. Anyone seen the Government? Professor Pat Price quoted in the Telegraph about the need for an urgent boost in radiotherapy treatment capacity. 

24th August : Professor Pat Price is quoted in the Daily Mail highlighting the scale of delays in cancer care.

23rd August: Professor Pat Price was quoted in the Telegraph – the crisis in cancer care and what the Government needs to do to solve it. This article featured in print and online.

13th August: Pat Price quoted in Daily Mail article.

11th August: Pat Price quoted in The Telegraph piece online and in print, Pat Price quoted in The Sun, piece online and in print – Pat Price quoted in Mail Online , Manchester Evening News  Birmingham Mail online and The Daily Express online

10th August: Prof Pat Price opened the day with an interview on BBC Breakfast with a great piece focused on radiotherapy and calling on the Secretary of State to meet with radiotherapy experts. Video on twitter here.

It featured some of the footage ahead of tonight’s BBC Newsnight programme that mentioned a letter from 36 heads of radiotherapy physics departments and some shots of radiotherapy equipment. Video on twitter here, find the full Newsnight piece on YouTube here

Pat was then interviewed on the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 the piece ran on the BBC news channel all day and ended up on the front page of the BBC website carrying a quote from Prof Pat Price. Link

Radiotherapy UK then featured on BBC news at 9:30am with Sarah Quinlan, Charity Director, being interviewed. Video on Twitter here

26th July: Major press association media story. Professor Pat Price raised concerns about leaked reports that 1,300 cancer patients are waiting over three months for cancer treatment. This was picked up nationally and regionally. Oncologist Professor Pat Price, co-founder of the Catch Up With Cancer campaign, said: “This devastating leak is yet another example of the national cancer treatment crisis that is hitting the NHS. We know every four weeks of delay can lead to a 10% reduction in survival, so to have so many patients waiting over 104 days is an absolute disaster.”

A small number of these 63 media hits include: The Independent, The Evening Standard, Central Fife Times, Warrington Guardian, The Northern Echo, Witney Gazette, Lancashire Telegraph, Oxford Mail, Wirral Globe

6th July: #CatchUpWithCancer / Radiotherapy4Life campaign and Radiotherapy UK held a high impact event outside parliament. The event was attended by over 25 Parliamentarians and gained significant media attention. Find out more about the event here. BBC Somerset Radio Prof Pat Price interviewed listen in from 2.07 – 2.45. BBC Coventry and Warwickshire, interview with Prof Pat Price listen in from 2.01 -2.46. BBC Midlands, Radiotherapy UK stated in the region 46.5% of cancer patients are waiting longer than 62 days for treatment after an urgent referral. Good Morning Britain, Professor Pat Price is interviewed about the letter to the Secretary of State for Health from radiotherapy heads about the crisis in services and need for investment

16th June: BBC NEWS – Front page, leading story and leading quote on the BBC website – Prof Pat Price, co-founder of Catch Up With Cancer, said: “It defies all reason that government can look at these cancer statistics and not see a crisis. We are desperately short of treatment capacity. Increasing diagnosis means nothing if all we do is pile backlog patients onto sky-high waiting lists.” Daily Mail – Professor Pat Price quote ‘There are solutions in areas like radiotherapy that could have an immediate impact, but they are ignored because ministers don’t seem to understand them. This is having a devastating impact on patients and cancer staff, I urge the Health Secretary to act.’ Times – Professor Pat Price on the need for investment in treatment capacity. Article about the treatment backlog and how thousands of patients spend longer in hospitals than they need to due to insufficient social care provision. Mentions the campaign and carries a quote from Pat Price. Metro – Quote from Professor Pat Price in the Metro calling for an increase in treatment capacity in an article about the elective and routine care backlog reaching a new record high. Mentions the CatchUpWithCancer campaign and features a quote from Pat Price

11th June: Daily Express, An article about how the cancer backlog and long delays are risking cancer patients’ lives. Carries a quote from Pat Price and mentions report from Radiotherapy UK / CatchUpWithCancer.

10th June: iNews, article on how more cancer patients’ lives are at risk due to the collapse of five private oncology centres putting more pressure on the NHS. Features a quote from Pat Price.

18th May: Daily Mail, Professor Pat Price calls for radical new plan and investment in radiotherapy in Daily Mail – response to NHS’s Cancer Board Chair admitting that cancer services will not return to pre-pandemic levels by 2023 The Times: Professor Pat Price quote in response to NHS cancer waiting times. Extract – Pat Price, a leading oncologist and co-founder of the Catch Up With Cancer campaign, said: “These cancer waiting times are catastrophic and the worst ever. As a clinician, it breaks my heart. This data covers the period of time NHS leaders said cancer services would be back to normal. Well, they are not back to normal. They have collapsed. And more patients will die unnecessarily. We need a radical new cancer plan that includes increases in treatment capacity, investment in backlog-busting technologies, like radiotherapy, and a plan for the cancer workforce. How many disastrous cancer statistics will we allow? The pretence that everything is OK and in hand must surely now be shattered.” To note: The APPGRT held a roundtable event in parliament attended by the minister and officials from Downing Street and Department of Health and Social Care. The APPG’s tweet was retweeted by the cancer minister and we felt the meeting held a number of promising actions.

2nd May: The Times front page carries a quote from Prof Pat Price and the full article includes calls for radiotherapy investment. This article includes a response from the campaign highlighting the need for a boost in treatment capacity. LBC News – Professor Pat Price interview about the record cancer checks and need for treatment capacity TalkTV + TimesRadio – Professor Pat Price was interviewed about the cancer backlog.

21st April: The Week Ten Things You Need to Know Today: 21 April 2022 point 6 – Cancer expert Professor Pat Price told The Telegraph the findings were “shocking”….

20th April: The Telegraph Prof Pat Price on cancer backlog “we are in the grip of the worst cancer crisis ever” she calls for a radical new plan to increase treatment capacity, including radiotherapy & workforce!

19th April: The Daily Mail Professor Pat Price said: ‘It is morally outrageous to see hospitals stripped of NHS capacity for private payers when we face a deadly cancer backlog timebomb. Private care should be enhancing NHS capacity and reducing waiting lists. We should not be giving up NHS beds to revenue raising right now, an action that takes away from NHS capacity, delays treatment, and creates further inequality.’

12th April: The Independent Prof Gordon Wishart, a supporter of the #CatchUpWithCancer campaign echoes calls of the campaign for investment including radiotherapy.

10th April: LBC News Professor Pat Price calls for the Secretary of State to meet with frontline clinicians to address the cancer backlog and improve waiting times.

8th April: TalkRadio Interviews Prof Pat Price on new cancer data.

6th April: Twitter ITV News speak to Prof Pat Price about the cancer crisis following the HSCC report. The Sun Prof Pat Price urges the Prime Minister to prioritise cancer crisis after HSCC report warns survival rates could go into reverse. Twitter LBC radio speaks to Prof Pat Price ‘We need a comprehensive new plan which removes prohibitive bureaucracy and boosts treatment capacity by investing in radiotherapy, IT and workforce’.

5th April: Today Professor Pat Price was on Sky News responding to the Health and Social Care Select Committee report on cancer. Radiotherapy was described as a “silver bullet” to tackle the backlog and Pat urged the Health Secretary to meet with her. The Guardian included a comment from Prof Pat Price on Health Committee report. The Times warn of decade lost cancer progress in article quoting Prof Pat Price. Daily Express highlights Prof Pat Price comments on new HSCC report calling for urgent action to tackle the cancer crisis and prevent avoidable cancer deaths! We need investment in cancer workforce and vital radiotherapy services. Twitter HSCC promotional video features Prof Pat Price.

31st March: Twitter Prof Pat Price responds to HSCC Expert evaluation of governments commitments in cancer services.

30th March: Twitter Thank you to Tim Farron for highlighting urgently needed investment in Radiotherapy to clear cancer backlog. Prof Pat Price quoted in the Telegraph calling on NHS to secure additional capacity to tackle the cancer backlog.

29th March: Press release Cancer campaigners have today handed a letter signed by more than 50 parliamentarians to Downing Street urging the Prime Minister to deliver a “radical new cancer plan” to address the cancer backlog and address record waiting times that are translating into cancer inequality across the country.

28th March: Sunday Express Defuse time bomb of cancer cases – Boris told, Prof Pat Price calls on PM to help reduce the number of cancer cases.

26th March: Express, Boris urged to get a grip on potential cancer disaster – Prof Pat Price says “We need the Government to outline how investment will boost frontline cancer services. Particularly high tech solutions like radiotherapy which are so often overlooked”.

13th February: Sunday Express, reports of 87,000-100,000 missing cancer backlog patients is a devastating health crisis. “Even now cancer services cant cope with the patients coming in. We need a radical new cancer plan and ringfenced investment” says Professor Pat Price #CatchUpWithCancer.

9th February: Today in theipaper on the elective recovery plan, #CatchUpWithCancer co-founder calls for more ambition, investment in treatment and warns of a missed opportunity to clear the cancer backlog.

5th February: Daily Telegraph today analysis by kings College London, Institute of Cancer Policy and the Health Foundation suggests there are 87,000 ‘missing’ cancer patients, Professor Pat Price warns Britain is facing a “deadly cancer timebomb”.

19th January: In the Daily Mail Professor Pat Price, an oncologist and co-founder of the Catch Up With Cancer campaign, said: ‘If the Health Secretary wants to fight a “war on cancer” then he needs to invest in the tools and the people to win it.

12th January: Debate in parliament held on ‘access to radiotherapy’ Daily Mail article highlighted discussion in the debate. RTUK, Prof Pat Price and #catchupwithcancer fed into debate topics and issues faced.

1st January: Prof Pat Price quoted in Sunday Express “cancer services are still being disrupted even as we move into the third year of pandemic restrictions: We’re one minute to midnight in terms of this Covid induced cancer crisis becoming an avalanche from which we can’t recover.”

2021

14 December: Radiotherapy UK relaunch with MPs outside Parliament, read more about the relaunch in our blog here

12 December: The Sunday Express reported on the upcoming cancer summit on 14th December – “Crunch Summit over fear cancer treatment is set back ten years”.

9 December: Telegraph podcast – Professor Gordon Wishart supports calls for Government to implement #CatchUpWithCancer recommendations, including investment in radiotherapy.

4 December: The Daily Telegraph “The cancer legacy of the pandemic could be worst than COVID” Article includes quotes from Professor Pat Price:

11th November #CatchUpWithCancer co-founders bereaved father Craig Russell and Professor Pat Price appear on BBC News to discuss new cancer figures​

19th October The Telegraph – “We have an overwhelming and huge backlog”, Professor Pat Price comments

27th September Mirror Article“I lost my daughter after COVID paused chemo”, mother and #CatchUpWithCancer petition author speaks to BBC

24th September The Sun – “The cancer community has the solutions, but they need investment and the tools to act”, Professor Pat Price comment. Father of Kelly Smith calls for urgent action on Sky news for the sake of other cancer patients experiencing life threatening delays  BBC Breakfast – “This is a major crisis… We need ringfenced investment in cancer services”, says Professor Pat Price

21st July  Daily Express article: “Act now to clear cancer backlog” Family campaign at Downing Street for government to put more resources into cancer services to clear backlog 20th July ITV Granada reports film #CatchUpWithCancer family and campaign founder Professor Pat Price at Downing Street

27th June  ITV News: APPG for Radiotherapy, Chair, Tim Farron MP warns far more people could die of cancer than COVID if treatment backlog continues. Sunday Express article: Hospitals Fear Cancer “Avalanche” – comment from #CatchUpWithCancer founder Professor Pat Price

21st June  The Sun: Co-founder of #CatchUpWithCancer Professor Pat Price calls for urgent action to address backlog of NHS waiting lists for cancer

14th June  The Independent: Cancer backlog after Covid threatens ‘devastating health crisis’, MPs warn in letter to Prime Minister

13th June  Sunday Express: APPG RT and #CatchUpWithCancer letter to the Prime Minister features in article: UK Cancer Backlog is Biggest NHS Crisis

9th June  #CatchUpWithCancer co-founders Professor Pat Price and family of Kelly Smith feature on LBC following LBC research – Patients face postcode lottery for cancer treatment with trusts missing targets ​​​​​

27th May  BBC NI: Professor Pat Price features on The Nolan Show calling for ministers to recognise the urgent problem within cancer care. The Cancer Summit and the report’s recommendations were covered by the Daily Express

26th May: Cancer Summit Organised by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Radiotherapy and supported by chair of APPG on Health and by parliamentary chairs of other APPGs focused on cancer. “Catch Up With Cancer – The Way Forward” Link to APPGRT site here to access policy documents and supporting evidence.

​14th May  Professor Pat Price is quoted in a piece in The Times about how the NHS can get back on track after the coronavirus pandemic, ‘There is a collective burying heads in sand on a scale I’ve never seen in healthcare’! Professor Pat Price speaks to BBC Midlands and calls for a more urgent response to the COVID induced Cancer backlog

13th May  BBC News: Professor Pat Price speaks on the number of years of underinvestment and the need to better

15th April BBC News | #CatchUpWithCancer co-founder and petition author Craig Russell calls for a more urgent response to the cancer backlog.  The Independent article on 330,00 people seen late by the NHS quotes #CatchUpWithCancer co-founder and petition author Craig Russell. BBC Radio Five | Catch Up With Cancer co-founder and petition author Craig Russell says “The backlog is very real and needs urgent action to prevent the loss of tens of thousands of people unnecessarily”

2nd April Prof Pat Price Co-founder of #CatchUpWithCancer and chair of Action Radiotherapy commented on the NHS leadership’s decision to disband the Cancer Recovery Taskforce in the Daily Express “Thousands of people may die by shutting cancer taskforce, charity warns”

16th March #CatchUpWithCancer and Kelly’s story feature on Radio 1 following charities warn cancer death rate could rise, Craig the co-founder of #CatchUpWithCancer said “In my view, the government has completely neglected cancer patients in this country.”

3rd March Daily Mail: “Charities slam Rishi Sunak for lack of help for hospitals” – includes #CatchUpWithCancer comment.  The Sun: Cancer patients and social care ‘forgotten in Budget 2021’ as charities warn ‘lives will needlessly be lost’ – #CatchUpWithCancer comment

2nd MarchThe Daily Mirror features #CatchUpWithCancer in cancer piece – “World fought back against COVID- let’s plough the same funds and energy into curing cancer Kelly’s parents have cofounded ‘Catch Up With Cancer’ and are now asking the government to make adequate cancer provisions in next week’s budget to boost cancer services, in order to address the backlog urgently.

24th FebruaryWalesOnline and Cheshire Livearticle on #CatchUpWithCancer co-founder and father of Kelly Smith, Craig Russell: Mum who died as COVID halted cancer treatment ‘a victim of pandemic’, dad says. The mum-of-one, who worked as a beautician, was first diagnosed in 2017, but her fourth round of chemotherapy was halted when the pandemic hit. Twelve weeks after her chemotherapy stopped, Kelly, from Macclesfield, passed away. Craig Russell, Kelly’s father, has now co-founded the Catch Up With Cancer campaign that calls for the Government and NHS to boost cancer treatments to tackle treatment delays caused by COVID-19.

18th February  Daily Mail article features the cross-party letter: The human face of Britain’s cancer ‘disaster’ threatening 100,000 patients who could miss out on treatment due to COVID pandemic

1st February  Prof Pat Price, Chair of Action Radiotherapy and founder of the #CatchUpWithCancer campaign, is quoted in the Daily Mail “Deadly toll of scrapped cancer surgery revealed”

31st January Sunday Express feature #CatchUpWithCancer co-founder Professor Pat Price and APPGRT Chair Tim Farron MP calls for a new cancer recovery plan

26th January Sky News feature the impact on cancer patients and the story of Kelly Smith, daughter of #CatchUpWithCancer co-founder Craig Russell

20th January #CatchUpWithCancer co-founder Professor Pat Price appears on BBC Radio Ulster

18th January #CatchUpWithCancer comment in Daily Mail splash on BBC Question Time debate on cancer patients

17th January APPG for Radiotherapy and #CatchUpWithCancer call for a “ring of iron” around cancer services in Sunday Express

15th January #CatchUpWithCancer founder Professor Pat Price appears on BBC Radio 5 live

13th January Chair of Action Radiotherapy and adviser to the APPG RT, Professor Pat Price appears on the Standard Issue podcast ep 457, pod 138, to discuss Cancer, Covid and the NHS

12th January Daily Mail article “Cancer sufferer fears children will be left motherless after operation cancelled” and Catch Up With Cancer statement on surgery cancellations

11th January Action Radiotherapy chair and founder of Catch Up With Cancer comments on new radiotherapy technology, The Times

6th January Professor Pat Price comments “hugely distressing” to see further cancer surgeries cancelled, The Times

2020

26th December ‘Worst fears are being realised’ Cancer doctors say huge wave of unnecessary deaths loom, Sunday Express writes on APPG for Radiotherapy and Catch Up With Cancer

23rd December Cancer charities, Royal Colleges and APPG chairs sign joint declaration calling for the Spending Review to be revisited for cancer investment features in letter in The Times . METRO article on the impact of COVID on cancer services

17th December Chair of Action Radiotherapy, Professor Pat Price, and LaTroya Hall feature on Sky News. Supported by the Catch Up With Cancer campaign LaTroya Hall writes in the Daily Mail about the delays to her husbands treatment and diagnosis​

14th December The tragic story of Sherwin Hall as told by his wife LaTroya features on BBC Breakfast with Catch Up With Cancer founder Professor Pat Price, following delays to treatment and diagnosis.

7th December APPG RT Chair, Tim Farron MP calls for urgent action to address the national cancer backlog crisis, Yorkshire Post

29th  November  Two thousand needless pancreatic cancer deaths is highlighted by Pancreatic Cancer Action features in the Sunday Express and features Action Radiotherapy cancer backlog calculations

26th  November  #CatchUpWithCancer campaign and Kelly Smith’s story features in the Daily Mail 23rd November  “It’s the worst cancer crisis in a generation” Professor Pat Price comment in the Daily Telegraph

18th November  APPG RT cross-party letter signed by 60 MPs and #CatchUpWithCancer calling for urgent action at the Spending Review features in the Daily Express

18th November Co-founder of #CatchUpWithCancer, Professor Pat Price op-ed in the Daily Express

13th November  Professor Pat Price appears on BBC Radio 5 to comment on the cancer backlog and latest cancer data

12th November Professor Pat Price, founder of #CatchUpWithCancer & Radiotherapy4Life and chair of Action Radiotherapy, appears on BBC News at 6pm and 10pm – Interviewed by Hugh Pym and responding to the latest cancer data and cancer backlog . #CatchUpWithCancer co-founder and petition author, Craig Russell appears on Sky News​

22nd October During an interview on BBC Breakfast – Prof Pat Price founder of #CatchUpWithCancer call for smart solutions in treatment and diagnostics

20th October The Daily Express article on new ONS figures and #CatchUpWithCancer clinical expert opinion, Daily Mirror feature Kelly Smith’s story and #CatchUpWithCancer: “ Young mum’s harrowing cancer death as Covid forces thousands to die along and in agony

19th October Co-founder of #CatchUpWithCancer and father of Kelly Smith, Craig Russell, features on ITV News 19th October The Sun article  features comments from Professor Pat Price and the #CatchUpWithCancer campaign on new ONS figures on deaths at home. The Daily Telegraph features comment from Professor Pat Price on the new ONS figures

17th October Daily Mail reports on the #CatchUpWithCancer campaign and the impact of the Covid response on cancer patients

11th October The #CatchUpWithCancer campaign covered in Sunday Express article

10th October Al Jazeera report on UK patients missing cancer treatment due to Covid and the #CatchUpWithCancer and Radiotherapy4Life calls for boost to radiotherapy

9th October BBC Breakfast TV speak with #CatchUpWithCancer’s Craig Russell about the campaign

7th October The Times article include patients who shared their story with the #CatchUpWithCancer campaign ​

6th October BBC Three Counties Radio – #CatchUpWithCancer signees share their stories ​

1st October The #CatchUpWithCancer and Radiotherapy4Life campaign respond to the Health and Social Care Committee report on cancer backlog recommendations  ​

27th September  The Sunday Times “Cancer sufferers go door to door to pay for private treatment” article with quote from #CatchUpWithCancer

15th September Daily Express front page: FOR THE SAKE OF 35,000 LIVES…WE MUST ACT NOW. Daily Express comment by Prof Pat Price

14th September Daily Mail: #CatchUpWithCancer campaign features in Lockdown blow to Britain’s health: Hospital admissions for seven major non-Covid illnesses, including heart attacks, slump by 173,000 – as GPs are ordered to see patients face-to-face

8th September Tonia Antoniazzi MP urges Matt Hancock to publish a Government cancer recovery plan to #CatchUpWithCancer, with Matt Hancock MP responding “We have been working on it intensively and, as I say, the backlog has come down by about half, but clearly there is much more to do”

27th August Prof Pat Price appeared on Radio 5 live and BBC regional radio stations to discuss the impact of Covid on cancer patients and the #CatchUpWithCancer campaign

22nd August The Times 107 MPs write to Prime Minister to warn cancer backlog may cost 30,000 lives More than 100 MPs have written to Boris Johnson after the coronavirus lockdown caused severe disruption to cancer diagnoses and treatments. They have called on him to deliver an emergency boost to treatment capacity.

17th August The Sun – Brits now more likely to die from cancer than 15 years ago because of coronavirus Professor Pat Price called on ministers to tackle the growing backlog with the “same speed, energy, and focus” deployed against the pandemic.

16th August Sunday Express – Deborah James – I might be recovering from cancer but my friends are gone Kelly’s parents Mandy and Craig Russell are now calling on the Government to get cancer services back up and running to avoid further tragedies and have launched a petition – which has so far received more than 200,000 signatures – to stop tens of thousands of coronavirus-linked cancer deaths.

11th August Hits Radio Manchester interview with Professor Pat Price “This is the worst cancer crisis in my lifetime… we have never halted cancer services”

10th August Hits Radio – Kelly Smith’s father Craig Russell interview about the #CatchUpWithCancer campaign and loss of his daughter following Covid impacts on her cancer treatment

6th August Hits Radio SPECIAL REPORT: Fears COVID-19 pandemic is leading to ‘worst cancer crisis in a lifetime’ Professor Pat Price, is interviewed for special report on Hits Radio network

31st July Bloomberg article: Radiotherapy Seen as Key to Solving U.K. Covid Cancer Crisis “Radiotherapy is faster, quicker and remote, so it’s the smart solution to this crisis,” said Pat Price, chair of Action Radiotherapy, who has been an oncologist for 32 years and calls the current crisis in Britain “the greatest tragedy to hit cancer care in my lifetime.”

19th July  Lurgan Mail article highlights cancer services: Cancer patients, who have had no treatment since Lockdown, still await appointments for chemotherapy says MP. Sunday Express Father’s grief: ‘They stopped chemotherapy as it might make her vulnerable to Covid’. Sunday Express Founder of Radiotherapy4Life & #CatchUpWithCancer, and Chair of Action Radiotherapy, Professor Price writes Delay is a danger: We need to act fast: “Without doubt we are facing a truly national crisis”… “There needs to be a ‘super boost’ to cancer service from diagnostics right through the treatment pathway, to cope with what is shaping up to be the mother of all backlogs. And a good deal of that boost needs to go into transforming radiotherapy”.

17th July BBC Midlands, Professor Pat Price is interview “It is vital we clear the cancer backlog and get cancer services back up and running. We can save thousands of lives if we act now”

13th July The Express Cancer petition: How to sign Kelly Smith petition to stop THOUSANDS of deaths.  The Sun Petition to stop tens of thousands of Covid-linked cancer deaths hits 145k in 48 hours after young mum died in lockdown. ITV Petition calling for action to tackle cancer deaths tops 100,000 signatures. The Sunday Telegraph While Covid has been prioritised, what has become of the rest of the NHS?

12th July BBC News Coronavirus: Cancer patient Kelly Smith’s family petition backed

11th July The Sun My friend died too soon when coronavirus stopped her treatment – a tsunami of cancer deaths is about to hit.  Launch of #CatchUpWithCancer Radiotherapy UK have teamed up with family of Kelly Smith to launch the campaign and Change.Org petition on BBC Breakfast TV | to get cancer services up and running, boost radiotherapy and save thousands of lives

8th July Digital Health Calls for innovation fund for radiotherapy tech to help ease cancer backlog – An innovation fund for advanced radiotherapy IT and technical solutions should be established to help ease the “huge” backlog in cancer patients due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a new recovery plan published by the APPG RT RT 6 point plan to transform radiotherapy

5th June The Times Extend therapies to ease cancer backlog, doctors tell Hancock includes reports on 243 radiotherapy professionals writing to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care & subsequent NHS decision on accelerating the Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SABR) rollout. While detail of the NHS plan has not been made publicly available the article states “Every UK cancer centre can provide SABR but only 26 out of England’s 52 centres are permitted to offer it, according to letters and parliamentary questions. The treatment has been recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, but NHS England had indicated that the national expansion would not be completed until 2022. The Times can reveal that the NHS now plans to bring this forward so that all hospitals can carry out SABR by April but meanwhile the machines sit in hospitals unused.”

31st May Sunday Express – Putting off cancer treatments is “trading deaths” says experts Professor Pat Price quoted “This will have a domino effect and we are bracing ourselves for a tsunami of cancer cases. Delays in restarting diagnostic services will lead to delays in diagnosis and more advanced cancer. More patients will no longer be curable by surgery, meaning we will have to deal with our own backlog, as well as these cases which were not treated in a timely way. This will likely be overwhelming.”

26th May The Sun – NHS ‘is rationing innovative cancer treatment’ which could help with surge in cases due to coronavirus, experts warn Professor Pat Price “We were at capacity to start with so when we get more patients coming through, we will not be able to deal with it. We’ve got some real big solutions here and it’s crazy that we’ve got machinery here that could solve some of the backlog and help improve survival, and yet we’re not being allowed to use it. It’s madness.”

26th May Sky News: Experts warn cancer treatment which could save lives is being ‘rationed’ – Prof Pat Price, chair of Action Radiotherapy “We were at capacity to start with so when we get more patients coming through, we will not be able to deal with it. We’ve got some real big solutions here and it’s crazy that we’ve got machinery here that could solve some of the backlog and help improve survival, and yet we’re not being allowed to use it. It’s madness.”

24th May Sunday Express – MPs demanding cancer care plan – features the letter written by the seven APPGs calling for a national cancer recovery plan to deal with the backlog of cancer cases

17th May Mail on Sunday – Cancer specialists demand urgent meeting with Matt Hancock over ‘crazy’ NHS decision to ration treatment features recommendations made by the APPGRT about removing commissioning restrictions on the advanced radiotherapy treatment, SABR (Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy)

4th May Tim Farron, Chair of the APPGRT in Politics Home/ The House Magazine live – Radiotherapy is a vital treatment that can reduce unnecessary cancer deaths during the coronavirus pandemic

30th April The Times – Cancer patients at risk as radiotherapy machines stand idle – includes the evidence submitted by the APPGRT to the Health and Social Care Committee

25th April Sky News – Professor Pat Price appears as a cancer expert on Sky News to highlight the impact of COVID-19 on cancer treatment pathways

23rd April ITV Central – Professor Pat Price appears calls for action to avoid the “double tragedy” of losing as many patients from cancer as we do from COVID-19 – Cancer sufferer feels ‘sacrificed’ for COVID-19 patients after vital operation cancelled

16th April The Times Redbox – Cancer patients deserve the best treatment despite pressures of coronavirus

12th April Sunday Express – Cancer deaths set to soar amid coronavirus crisis – The article mentions the APPG RT letter to the Matt Hancock calling for a refocus on preventing avoidable cancer deaths

28th March National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published COVID-19 rapid guideline: delivery of radiotherapy

 

To access previous years news from 22nd May 2018 when APPG for radiotherapy was founded go here to APPGRT website.

 

 

 

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