WITH cancer affecting one in two of us, and a diagnosis changing so many lives, our newly published National Cancer Plan is a vital part of the recovery of the NHS.

Both the health secretary MP Wes Streeting and health minister MP Ashley Dalton have faced a cancer diagnosis themselves, and their care and understanding are clear throughout.

In our manifesto, we pledged to save our NHS, and this plan is part of its recovery.

After years of decline, waiting lists here at Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust are now falling, ambulance response times are improving, and the number of people waiting over 52 weeks has dropped by 77.13 per cent since this government took office. This progress comes from proper investment. That’s more appointments, weekend clinics, diagnostic centres like the one just opened at Camborne Redruth that Health Minister Karin Smyth came to see this week, and bringing healthcare back into our communities.

The plan sets a clear aim for the NHS to meet all three of the cancer waiting‑time standards by 2029, so that patients are being treated within the 62 day target. A £2.3-billion investment in diagnostics will deliver 9.5-million additional tests, and centres will open longer so care is closer to home. If you are diagnosed sooner, your chances of recovery will be so much higher. That is why centres like the new one at Camborne Redruth will be absolutely critical.

There will be new training places for specialist clinicians in rural and coastal areas to help end the health inequalities that Cornwall faces. It also recognises that travel to and from appointments can be expensive, especially in rural areas. The £10-million annual travel fund for young cancer patients will make a real difference for places like Cornwall and will help ease some of the pressure on families, so they can focus on treatment rather than travel expenses.

Technology will help deliver this plan and is all part of modernising healthcare. The expansion of robot-assisted surgery, which is something I have been campaigning for at Treliske Hospital in Truro, and Wes Streeting has experienced during his cancer treatment, will mean safer, more precise operations.

A cancer diagnosis is terrifying, and many feel alone or worried. It is good to hear that a Personalised Cancer Plan will cover treatment but also mental health, employment and more practical support, as well as a summary at the end of treatment to prevent people feeling like they're at a cliff edge. The NHS App will help link patients to charities like Macmillan from the moment they are diagnosed.

Another part of this plan that is close to my heart is the commitment to specialist centres for rarer cancers. I have worked to highlight a link between military helicopters and rare blood cancers. These centres will mean more timely lifesaving treatment.

Cancer has touched all of our lives. I want this plan, and our investment in the NHS, to give people the best possible chance not only to beat cancer, but to live well beyond it.