News
Youngest proton beam patient marks three year NHS milestone
The youngest patient in the UK to be treated using pioneering proton beam therapy has helped mark the three years since the treatment was made available on the NHS in England. Teddy Slade, who recently celebrated his fourth birthday, was just 18 months old when he underwent proton beam therapy for a rare brain tumour, […]
Lung cancer patients to benefit from revolutionary new drug on NHS
Thousands of lung cancer patients in England will be fast-tracked a ground-breaking new drug which can significantly reduce the risk of cancer returning, thanks to a deal brokered by NHS England. The MHRA has now approved the effective therapy, atezolizumab, to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with more than 850 patients in England expected […]
NHS cancer checks at record high with quarter of a million in one month
Record numbers of people are coming forward for cancer tests, with almost a quarter of a million referrals in one month according to the latest data, the NHS said today. The figures show that 246,000 people were checked for cancer in November – three times as many compared to the beginning of the pandemic in […]
NHS responds to highest number of 999 calls on record
NHS 999 services had their busiest ever month in October as staff answered a record 1,012,143 calls, new figures have revealed today. Ambulance staff responded to more than 82,000 life threatening call-outs, an increase of more than 20,000 on the previous high for October in 2019 (61,561), as well as dealing with the surge in […]
NHS launches world first trial for new cancer test
The NHS will today launch the world’s largest trial of a revolutionary new blood test that can detect more than 50 types of cancer before symptoms appear. The first people to take part will have blood samples taken at mobile testing clinics in retail parks and other convenient community locations. The Galleri(tm) test checks for […]
Lung cancer patients to get breakthrough drug on NHS
NHS lung cancer patients will be the first in Europe to be offered a revolutionary new drug which stops tumours growing by targeting the so-called “death star” mutation. The cutting-edge therapy Sotorasib will be fast-tracked to NHS patients after being proven in clinical trials to stop lung cancer growing for seven months. The drug’s adoption […]
Stephen Fry joins NHS campaign urging people to come forward for cancer checks
National treasure and cancer survivor Stephen Fry is backing an NHS campaign encouraging people with potential cancer symptoms to come forward for lifesaving checks. In a new film being released today (3 September) as part of the NHS ‘Help Us, Help You’ campaign, supported by Public Health England, Stephen Fry talks about being ‘stunned’ to […]
NHS chief urges people to come forward for life saving cancer checks ahead of new campaign
The new head of the NHS in England has today encouraged people with potential cancer symptoms to come forward for lifesaving checks. Ahead of a new campaign launching next week, NHS England chief executive, Amanda Pritchard said that the NHS is open and ready to treat people, and urged anyone with potential cancer symptoms to […]
NHS England announces new Innovative Medicines Fund to fast-track promising new drugs
NHS patients are set to benefit from early access to potentially life-saving new medicines, including cutting-edge gene therapies, thanks to a new Innovative Medicines Fund and £680 million of ringfenced funding, the NHS chief executive has announced today. The Innovative Medicines Fund (IMF) will build upon the success of the reformed Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF), […]
‘Skin snaps’ and rapid tests among £20 million NHS push to speed cancer diagnosis
‘Skin snaps’ and rapid tests for same day diagnosis are among a package of measures to get more people checked for cancer, the NHS said today. The NHS is investing £20 million to speed up the rollout of these plans, so that thousands more people can get potentially lifesaving cancer checks. ‘Teledermatology’ is being used […]