A coalition of clinicians, patients, charities, employers, insurers and health technology leaders, led by Perci Health, has published an open letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting MP, following the government’s launch of its national cancer plan for England last week.
Whole pathway care
While welcoming the plan, the letter calls for ‘whole pathway’ care and questions whether it will adequately address inequities in cancer care, whether it will use technology to personalise care, and even whether it is deliverable within today’s workforce constraints on the NHS.
The open letter, coordinated by virtual cancer clinic Perci Health, responds to the government’s newly launched 10-year plan, which aims to restore cancer waiting times by 2029, increase five-year survival to 75% by 2035, and improve quality of life by shifting care closer to home.
Delivery will be everything
Dr Anthony Cunliffe, GP and national lead medical adviser at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “Right now, cancer care in the UK is failing far too many people.
“The ambition is welcome, but delivery will be everything.
“The government and NHS will not be able to deliver this plan on their own.
“Professionals are under immense pressure, and the financial environment is as challenging as it has ever been.”
More than clinical plan
Addressing the scale of need for cancer treatment and support, Kelly McCabe, co-founder and CEO of Perci Health (pictured), maintained that this would require more than a clinical plan.
“It requires whole-pathway, whole-person care that continues long after treatment ends.”
Missed appointments
But the coalition also raised concerns around missed appointments, recovery support, return-to-work care, and life after treatment.
Dr Lucy Davidson, director of psycho-oncology services at Perci Health, said: “Early diagnosis shapes how people cope psychologically for years.
“But recovery, mental health, employment and long-term functioning still receive far less attention.”
Perci Health’s medical director, Dr Matt Brown, applauded the plan’s focus on early detection as a way to achieve better outcomes.
Brown said: “From professional experience we know that early detection not only saves lives, it can significantly reduce the intensity and long-term impact of treatment.”
Vanessa Sallows, claims and clinical development director – group protection, at L&G, said: “We’ve previously seen campaigns around lifestyle drivers of screening non-attendance, so what’s different about this one and how can outcomes be achieved?”
Reducing inequity
On inequities in cancer care, Melanie Costas, cancer survivor and member of Perci’s Lived Experience Board, said: “Accessibility is not just about diagnostics.
“It is about communication, trauma-aware care, and systems that work for everyone.
“Chronic fatigue, mental health challenges, employment barriers and fragmented care leave too many people rebuilding their lives alone. Earlier, more proactive support needs equal priority to earlier diagnosis.”
Digitisation
But there was a warning to the government to resist simply digitising existing pathways.
Paddy Rehill, chief technology officer at Perci Health, said: “Technology should enable proactive, personalised and risk-stratified care.
“Outcomes must be measured in ways that reflect real life, not just clinical milestones.”
Workforce constraints
And on workforce constraints affecting the NHS, Morgan Fitzsimons, co-founder and chief customer officer at Perci Health, said: “Ambition alone will not deliver neighbourhood care at scale.
“Technology can extend NHS capacity when paired with expert-led, flexible workforce models.”
Call for cross-sector collaboration
Consequently, signatories to the letter agreed that the government and NHS cannot deliver the plan alone. They argue for deeper partnerships across healthcare, technology, employers, insurers and the voluntary sector to close gaps in care and reduce pressure on overstretched services.
Workplace trainer Sharron Moffat said: “Cancer must be treated as a long-term condition that affects working lives.
“If workplaces are not part of the solution, many people will continue to fall through the cracks.
“The plan is strong on diagnosis and treatment, but far less developed when it comes to the realities people face alongside and after cancer, especially work, income, mental health and long-term functioning. These factors often shape recovery more than treatment itself.”
Helen Aldis MBE, founder, Change + Check breast cancer awareness campaign, added: “More needs to be done on early diagnosis and prevention. We are lagging far behind other comparable countries.”
From words to action
The letter concludes with a call to embed whole-person, data-driven cancer care as standard practice, not innovation.
McCabe said: “The direction of travel reflects what patients and clinicians have been saying for years.
“Implementation will be the real test of whether those voices continue to shape change.”
