The National Cancer Plan is progress, but research-backed exercise treatment must now become universal

This week’s National Cancer Plan marks an important moment for people diagnosed with cancer across England, and it reflects many priorities that Yorkshire Cancer Research has long championed.

At its heart is a clear ambition to prevent more cancers, diagnose cancer earlier, improve treatment and improve survival.

Importantly, the National Cancer Plan will expand the number of cancer specialists in the communities that need them most, ensure equal access to vital diagnostic and treatment technologies regardless of where people live and introduce targeted measures to reduce variation between areas.  

After campaigning for the National Cancer Plan to address regional inequalities, we are pleased to see the plan includes several commitments which have significant potential to reduce the unacceptable ‘postcode lottery’ faced by people with cancer in our region.  

Action to reduce regional cancer inequalities is essential. People in Yorkshire face some of the worst cancer inequalities in England, with higher incidence, lower survival and greater barriers to diagnosis and treatment.

One area in particular represents a major step forward: the inclusion of rehabilitation for some people with cancer, and the promise of national quality standards for prehabilitation.

For years, Yorkshire Cancer Research has worked to highlight the transformative impact of prehabilitation and rehabilitation – delivered in the form of research-backed cancer exercise treatment and provided alongside nutrition and wellbeing support.

It not only helps people prepare for and recover from cancer treatment, but also improves their chances of surviving cancer.  

The National Cancer Plan now acknowledges this by referencing evidence from the charity’s Active Together service, demonstrating that Yorkshire is leading the way in pioneering new advances for people with cancer.  

Structured and personalised exercise programmes provided by cancer specialists before, during and after treatment can increase treatment options, reduce treatment side effects, reduce complications from surgery and speed up recovery. Research also shows that exercise can increase survival and reduce the risk of cancer returning. These benefits are clear and powerful. They are also not universally available.

Active Together, funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research and designed by Sheffield Hallam University’s Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre, has supported nearly 3,000 people across Yorkshire with personalised fitness, nutrition and wellbeing support delivered by cancer specialists. Its evidence base is strong.

Participants have experienced improved recovery, reduced anxiety and lower use of hospital services, and people who took part in Active Together were more likely to survive at least one year after their diagnosis compared to people with cancer that did not participate in the service. Yet access across England remains inconsistent.

The National Cancer Plan confirms that a digital first offer for prehabilitation will be made available to all patients. This is a positive foundation, but digital support must be provided alongside one-to-one sessions and group classes delivered by cancer exercise specialists at community venues.

Patients tell us they value the peer support gained through community-based services, and some patients prefer the more direct supervision offered by trained specialists, especially if they are not used to exercise.

The inclusion of a commitment to developing quality standards for prehabilitation is an encouraging first step. These mean nationally agreed rules, expectations and benchmarks will be created to ensure everyone receives consistent care.

We look forward to working with the Government to create these quality standards to help influence how prehabilitation is provided, so that everyone, no matter who they are or where they live, can benefit from this crucial approach.

However, the next step must be a commitment that every person diagnosed with cancer will receive exercise-based rehabilitation as well as prehabilitation in a single service.  

If exercise, nutrition and wellbeing support are to benefit everyone, the country must move towards a fully structured approach both before, during and after treatment which is offered to everybody.

It is vital that rehabilitation is included as a standard part of NHS cancer treatment to ensure exercise has the most impact when it comes to saving lives and reducing the risk of cancer returning.

Based on evidence from Active Together, Yorkshire Cancer Research estimates that providing prehab and rehab to everyone diagnosed with cancer in England would support more than 67,000 people a year and create almost 60,000 additional years of life. 

The Plan also acknowledges priorities that Yorkshire Cancer Research and thousands of people across the region have campaigned for.

The charity joined together with the voices of nearly 3,000 people living in Yorkshire to call for four essential actions in a national strategy: tackling smoking by offering more people support to stop, expanding innovative screening programmes, making research-backed exercise treatment available to all and ensuring that Yorkshire receives its fair share of cancer research funding.

The National Cancer Plan provides a platform for meaningful progress, reflecting many of these priorities, including stronger action on prevention, expanded early diagnosis efforts and a clear intention to improve opportunities to take part in research so people from all backgrounds can take part.  

Yorkshire Cancer Research welcomes its direction and its commitments. But ambition must now be matched by delivery.

The charity will continue to work with Government and the NHS to ensure the needs of people in Yorkshire are heard and considered. The measures must be developed carefully to ensure they are effective and don’t become a ‘tick box’ exercise.