In launching the National Cancer Plan, the NHS sets out a landmark ambition to transform cancer outcomes across England. For the first time, the health service commits to ensuring by 2035 three in four people diagnosed with cancer will be cancer‑free or living well five years after their diagnosis.

This ambition represents the fastest improvement in cancer survival this century and could mean 320,000 more people living longer, healthier lives over 10 years, and many more supported to live well after treatment or when living with cancer as a long-term condition.

The plan has been shaped through engagement with patients, partners and professionals, and details how the health service will fully modernise its approach to cancer care in England, and become a global leader in cancer outcomes.

For more than a decade the NHS hasn’t met its core cancer performance standard of ensuring 85% of patients start treatment within 62 days of referral. Under the plan this changes and by March 2029, the NHS will meet all three cancer waiting‑time standards, enabling hundreds of thousands more patients to receive faster diagnosis and timely treatment.

To mark the publication of the National Cancer Plan we highlight some of the leading examples of cancer screening and treatment across the North East and Yorkshire region.

South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw

Rolling out lung cancer screening nationally by 2030 is among the priorities of the National Cancer Plan. South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Lung Cancer Screening programme has reached the milestone of 100% rollout, which means everybody eligible should have received an invite for Lung Cancer Screening. Lung Cancer Screening is available for people aged 55 to 74 who smoke or used to smoke. It aims to find lung cancers early and often before symptoms appear.

Dr Jason Page, Clinical Director of the South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw (SYB) screening programme, said: “The Targeted Lung Health Check Programme team – as it was previously called – started planning back in 2019, and it’s a fantastic feeling to be at 100% rollout almost seven years later.”

The programme’s impact has been significant. Approximately 178,000 people have been invited across SYB, and nearly 79,000 people have had a Lung Health Check, the first part of screening. Almost 34,000 people were referred for the second part, a CT scan, and 830 cancers have been detected. Of these, 666 were lung cancers, with 77% found at an early stage when treatment is much more likely to be successful. As the CT scan is taken of the person’s chest, 164 other cancers have been diagnosed, including breast, oesophageal, and lower gastrointestinal.

North East and North Cumbria

Increasing the use of robotic surgery is among the commitments of the National Cancer Plan. Patients across the North East and North Cumbria are benefiting from earlier, safer lung cancer diagnosis thanks to cutting edge robotic technology at the University Hospital of North Tees at Stockton-on-Tees.

Part-funded by Northern Cancer Alliance, an Ion robotic-assisted bronchoscope is a state-of-the-art tool which allows clinicians to reach previously inaccessible areas of the lung using a 3.5mm catheter and shape-sensing technology. It means healthcare staff can collect tissue samples from hard-to-reach nodules deep in the patient’s lungs – where over 70% of early lung cancers are typically found.

The procedure sees the bronchoscope inserted through a patient’s mouth while under general anaesthetic. Once inserted, the Ion system uses real-time imaging and GPS-like navigation to guide clinicians to suspicious nodules quickly and precisely.

Respiratory consultant Dr Vandana Jeebun is part of a team of chest physicians which delivers the service. She said: “Early diagnosis is critical to improving survival rates in lung cancer. The Ion system is supporting us in doing this. It’s allowing us to diagnose earlier and more accurately, reducing the need for invasive procedures and also speeding up access to life-saving treatment.”

Humber and North Yorkshire

Reducing health inequalities is an key part of the National Cancer Plan. Spotting cancer early means treatment is more likely to be successful. In parts of Humber and North Yorkshire cervical screening take-up is considerably lower than the national target, with rates often lower among first-time invitees, people with a learning disability, Muslim faith, and eastern European communities.

Reasons given for cervical screening uptake reluctance include fear that screening will be painful, embarrassment about the intimate nature of the procedure, fear of being diagnosed with cancer, not believing they are at risk, and cultural reasons.

Humber and North Yorkshire Cancer Alliance recognised advocacy from a loved one or trusted acquaintance is a strong motivator for women to book and attend their screening appointment. The Cancer Alliance trained hair and beauty salon staff in areas with lowest screening uptake – parts of Goole, Hull, Scarborough, Scunthorpe and Grimsby – so they could use the conversational time with their clients to encourage them to attend their cervical cancer screening appointments.

Five of the eight salons which undertook training in the low uptake areas confirmed their staff had used the training to speak to customers about the importance of cervical screening and the disease’s symptoms.

West Yorkshire

West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (hospitals across West Yorkshire and Harrogate) is leading the national rollout of a powerful AI chest X-ray solution designed to speed up lung cancer diagnosis and improve patient outcomes.

Developed by Annalise.ai and funded through NHS England’s AI Diagnostics Fund, the software tool can detect up to 124 potential findings in under a minute. It provides clinicians with annotated images to support quicker and more accurate decision-making. The system is live across all WYAAT NHS trusts: Airedale, Bradford Teaching Hospitals, Calderdale and Huddersfield, Harrogate and District, Leeds Teaching Hospitals and Mid Yorkshire Teaching.

Dr Heshan Panditaratne, Consultant Radiologist and Radiology Discrepancy Lead at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Each year, around 400,000 chest X-rays are taken across our trusts. With AI support, we can prioritise urgent cases, make decisions more confidently, and intervene earlier, especially in conditions like lung cancer, where early diagnosis can increase survival rates.”