Charity chief warns MPs that strikes are putting cancer survivors at risk

The Govt must tackle the NHS’s workforce crisis and pay problems or it will become “harder and harder” to prevent early cancer deaths, the chief executive of Cancer Research UK has warned.

Planned strikes by nurses and ambulance workers pose serious threat to cancer patients NHS efforts to prioritize them, Michelle Mitchell said.

Talking to Guardianthe head of Britain’s biggest cancer charity called for “all stakeholders to work together to find a solution”, adding that cancer waiting times and workforce shortages in the sector were already critical.

“Cancer services are already struggling due to the pandemic and years of chronic staff shortages,” Ms Mitchell said.

“Despite the best efforts of NHS staff, cancer waiting times remain among the worst on record and plans to reduce them by 2025 are unlikely to be met.

“The Government must fulfill its commitment to publish a long-term workforce plan, including measures to maximize retention – otherwise we risk wiping out all the hard-won progress of the last 20 years.”

Serves as general secretary Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has accused the Health Secretary of obstructing efforts to resolve the nurses’ pay dispute with his “macho” negotiating style.

Union boss Pat Cullen said Steve Barclay was underestimating the work of nurses because it is a “90% female profession”, after ministers rejected the union’s demand for a 19% rise as “unaffordable”.

Rishi Sunak is refusing to bow to pressure from health chiefs and some senior Conservatives to agree a pay deal with nurses to prevent further action.

The Prime Minister insisted on Friday that the offer given to nurses was “appropriate and fair” as they warned that strikes would intensify without a deal on better pay.

It was previously reported that almost 16,000 appointments, procedures and operations were postponed in England – 54,000 fewer than the government had proposed – due to Thursday’s strike.

The figures were released after Health Secretary Maria Caulfield said around 70,000 appointments would be lost due to the mass action.

But according to preliminary NHS figures reported by trusts where the RCN strike took place, 2,452 inpatient and day elective procedures and 13,327 outpatient appointments were postponed, bringing the total to 15,779.

Across England, 9,999 staff were absent from work due to strike action, according to figures on the NHS England website.

The highest numbers were seen in South West where there were 2,372 striking staff, with 2,023 in the Midlands and the next highest figure, 1,714 in the North East and Yorkshire.