The Department for Health and Social Care has published The National Cancer Plan, which sets out a bold, long-term approach to improving cancer outcomes, experience and equity over the next decade.
Shaped by lived experience, the Plan focuses on earlier diagnosis, improved performance, better quality of life and reducing inequalities, embedding the three shifts and new care model from the 10 Year Health Plan into cancer pathways. The central ambition is that by 2035, three in four people diagnosed with cancer will be cancer-free, or living well with cancer after five years, delivering the fastest improvement in cancer survival this century.
The Plan has been welcomed by the North Central London Cancer Alliance, which works with hospital trusts, health and social care organisations and other partners to improve cancer diagnosis, treatment, and care across the five boroughs of North Central London (NCL) – Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey and Islington.
Ali Malik, Managing Director, North Central London Cancer Alliance, said:
“We are excited to respond to the priorities and ambitions in the Plan, building on our progress to date in North Central London. In many respects our work already aligns to the Government’s three shifts – hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention – and our plans to increase innovation, partnership and prevention will boost the progress we are seeing.
“We are ready to take on the stronger local cancer leadership role laid out in the Cancer Plan and can move quickly to begin implementation of the new operating model.”
In North Central London (NCL), we’re making strong progress in improving cancer care. The latest data shows that more people are surviving cancer, and they’re being diagnosed and treated sooner.
Between 2010 and 2020, one‑year cancer survival in NCL increased by 8.4%, and five‑year survival rose by 5.9%. Early diagnosis has also improved by 9.8% between 2018 and 2025. Over the last year, our performance against the 62‑day cancer waiting time standard improved by 18.2%, meaning more people are starting treatment sooner.
The National Cancer Plan showcases two NCL case studies, highlighting exemplary work and innovative approaches to tackling health inequalities and making a real difference for our local residents:
- Building the evidence base for HPV self‑sampling
The YouScreen study, carried out by carried out by King’s College London, and supported by North Central and North East London Cancer Alliances and several other partners, tested HPV self‑sampling as an easier alternative to traditional cervical screening for women and people with a cervix who face barriers to attending appointments. Across five London boroughs, more than 27,000 self‑sampling kits were offered and nearly 9,000 were returned, with strong uptake from ethnic minority and deprived communities. The success of the study showed how self‑sampling can reduce health inequalities. In June 2025, the government announced that HPV self‑sampling will be rolled out nationally for those who miss their cervical screening. - REACH‑U: Improving Prostate Cancer Support for Black Men
Black men are twice as likely to develop and die from prostate cancer. To address cultural and informational barriers affecting treatment decisions, University College London Hospitals (UCLH) launched REACH‑U in 2024. The programme pairs Black African and Afro‑Caribbean men with trained non‑clinical “buddies” who offer culturally sensitive support outside the hospital, helping to ease worries and guide informed choices. In its first year, 41 men were referred. After buddy support, 60% chose radical treatment and 17% opted for active surveillance. Feedback has been highly positive, and North Central London Cancer Alliance is now expanding the programme to support men from the point of referral.
To find out more about the work of the North Central London Cancer Alliance visit their website.