Breast Cancer Now calls for action on cancer inequalities as Cancer Plan announced 

Breast Cancer Now has welcomed the UK Government’s commitment to tackling health inequalities and improving access to cancer treatment, following announcements relating to the forthcoming Cancer Plan for England. 

Responding to the proposals, the charity said addressing regional disparities in cancer outcomes and workforce shortages must be central to the plan if it is to improve survival and quality of life for people living with breast cancer. 

Claire Rowney, chief executive of Breast Cancer Now, said: “We welcome the UK Government’s ambition to tackle health inequalities affecting people living with cancer and to level-up access to groundbreaking treatments, as part of the upcoming Cancer Plan for England. Tackling inequalities is at the heart of our strategy as we strive to realise our ambition that by 2050, everyone with breast cancer lives and lives well.” 

She added: “No one with breast cancer should miss out on a treatment that could save or extend their life, or on care that could help them to live well, due to where they live or enduring health inequalities facing under-served communities. This is why we’ll be focusing our efforts on the 20 per cent of areas with the worst outcomes in breast cancer and driving progress to tackle this issue head on.” 

The charity highlighted significant variation in treatment waiting times across England. Latest monthly NHS data from November 2025 shows that the proportion of people with breast cancer starting first treatment within 62 days of urgent referral ranged from 100 per cent in some areas to 23.7 per cent in others. Breast Cancer Now said capacity constraints are among the most common reasons for delays. 

Rowney said workforce pressures remain a critical concern: “The commitment to boost the number of cancer specialists in under-served areas is critical to reducing regional variations and its impact on people’s treatment and care. Time is of the essence as workforce shortages are set to worsen, with 27 per cent of breast clinical oncologists due to retire within the next five years.” 

Breast Cancer Now said inequalities in diagnosis, treatment and outcomes continue to affect certain regions and communities disproportionately.  

The Cancer Plan for England is expected to set out how the government will address cancer workforce capacity, treatment access and health inequalities across the NHS.