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• Every cancer patient to receive a tailored support plan covering treatment, mental health, and employment support under National Cancer Plan 
• Patients to be linked to cancer charity help through the NHS App as soon as they’re diagnosed 
• Every patient given a named local care lead to provide support after treatment 

Every cancer patient will be given individual support, designed just for them, under the government’s National Cancer Plan, published today. 

For the first time, every patient will get a Personalised Cancer Plan that looks beyond just treatment and diagnosis to cover the full impact of cancer on their life - from anxiety and fatigue to diet and returning to work. 

They will also receive an end-of-treatment summary to end the cliff edge many face when chemotherapy or surgery finishes - giving them clear guidance on warning signs, who to call with concerns, and where to find ongoing support like physiotherapy, counselling or local cancer groups.

Even after successful treatment, some patients find themselves unable to return to the lives they had before diagnosis. The psychological toll of cancer can be devastating and long-lasting - with anxiety, depression and trauma persisting long after physical recovery. The Personalised Cancer Plan ensures patients receive the mental health support they need to rebuild their lives. 

Rolling out this year, the new approach recognises that cancer can affect every part of a patient’s life and that care doesn’t stop when treatment ends. 

It’s a crucial change in how cancer patients receive support, ensuring care is designed around their lives rather than demanding patients fit around the NHS. 

More personalised support doesn’t just improve wellbeing - it gets people back to work and back to their families sooner.  

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting said: 

If you’ve ever sat in a waiting room dreading what comes next or laid awake at 3am wondering how you’ll pay the bills while you’re off work for treatment, you’ll know that cancer doesn’t just attack your body - it takes over your whole life. I was fortunate. I had a supportive employer, a family who could rally around me, and the financial security to focus on getting better. But I know that’s not everyone’s reality - and it shouldn’t be based on luck.

For too long, we’ve treated the tumour and left patients to figure out the rest on their own. That ends now. This plan means nobody gets handed a diagnosis and is then abandoned to navigate the system alone. 

This is care that actually fits around people’s lives, not the other way around. It’s the biggest shift in how we support cancer patients in a generation.

Patients will be connected to cancer charities for specialist support through the NHS App as soon as they are diagnosed. 

Too often, patients only discover charity support by chance - or miss out entirely. This means help with everything from financial advice to emotional support will be just a tap away, right when they need it most. 

The NHS App will be transformed into a digital portal for cancer care, allowing patients to book screening appointments, access prehabilitation programmes, view their patient record, check their Personalised Cancer Plan, and provide feedback on their care - all from the convenience of their home.  

By 2035, every cancer patient will have a named neighbourhood care lead responsible for joining up their care after treatment meaning no more being passed from pillar to post. This demonstrates the real change being delivered by the government’s record investment as we rebuild the NHS.

Professor Peter Johnson, NHS England’s National Clinical Director for Cancer, said:

Being diagnosed with cancer affects every part of your life and the lives of the people around you which is why the NHS is committed to supporting people with cancer in every possible way, from the best treatment and clear information through to psychological and practical help.

A personalised cancer plan will bring all this together, helping people face cancer with the right care, at the right time, in the right way.

New standards will be introduced by 2028 to help patients get fit for treatment and recover quickly afterwards - including prehabilitation, rehabilitation and physical activity programmes.

The announcement follow’s today’s government pledge that three in four cancer patients diagnosed from 2035 will be cancer-free or living well after five years.   

This is on top of a series of measures already announced in the lead up to the National Cancer Plan, including; £10 million a year to support children’s travel costs for cancer care, improving access to specialists in rural and coastal communities, a crackdown on illegal underage sunbed use and improved bowel cancer screening to catch thousands more cases earlier.   

The government has also announced a new AI pilot to help detect hard-to-reach lung cancers sooner with fewer invasive tests as well as a new employer partnership to support England’s 830,000 working-age cancer patients to remain in employment during and after treatment.   

The cancer plan comes as the government continues to make strides on cancer waiting lists, diagnosing or ruling out cancer on time for 213,000 extra cases since July 2024.   

One hundred and seventy community diagnostic centres are now open - with over 100 of them available at evenings and weekends - bringing checks, scans and tests closer to where people live and at times that work around them.

Dame Laura Lee, Chief Executive of Maggie’s, said: 

A cancer diagnosis knocks the ground from under you. People come into Maggie’s centres with the weight of the world on their shoulders, not only worried about treatment and its physical side effects but the wider impact of cancer on their work and finances, relationships, and much more. 

It is hugely encouraging that the government has recognised the toll cancer takes on every aspect of someone’s life, which can continue long after treatment ends, and we welcome the new measures that will ensure everyone receives tailored support covering everything from exercise and employment to mental health and nutrition – and that people with cancer will be signposted to charities like Maggie’s from the moment of diagnosis. 

This is exactly what we asked to be included in the National Cancer Plan, and we look forward to working with the government and the NHS to help deliver this support, enabling more people to live well with and beyond cancer.

Gemma Peters, Chief Executive at Macmillan Cancer Support, said:  

Someone in the UK is now diagnosed with cancer at least every 75 seconds. This National Cancer Plan is an opportunity to ensure every one of them gets the support they need from the moment they hear the words, “You have cancer”.  

The Plan’s promise of a tailored support plan for everyone, alongside a named neighbourhood cancer lead and connecting people to cancer charities for support, will make a real difference. At Macmillan, we know this personalised approach works, having already enabled over half a million assessments to help people identify their needs and concerns, and shape care around what matters to them.  

Macmillan is determined to work with Government, our NHS, communities, public and private sector partners to enable this Plan to revolutionise cancer care for the future and ensure that everyone accesses world-class care and treatment.

Rachel Kirby-Rider, Chief Executive at Young Lives vs Cancer, said:  

This is a truly landmark moment. For the first time, children and young people have a dedicated chapter in the National Cancer Plan - a clear recognition that their needs are distinct, complex and deserve focused attention.   
  
Cancer is far more than medical alone. Children and young people need personalised care that reflects their age and stage of life, with psychosocial and long-term support for them and the whole family during treatment and beyond.  
  
This progress has been made possible through genuine collaboration across the sector. Working closely with colleagues at CCLG and other partners - including through the Children and Young People’s Cancer Taskforce, with strong leadership from its Chairs and leading voices - together we’ve all helped ensure the Plan reflects lived experience and has the potential to meaningfully improve experiences and outcomes. We’re ready to work with government and partners to deliver real change for children, young people and their families.

Amy Rylance, Director of Health Services, Equity & Improvement, at Prostate Cancer UK, said: 

1 in 8 men will get prostate cancer, and it’s now the most common cancer in the UK. But if you’ve just been diagnosed, it can feel lonely and confusing. So, we welcome the Government’s plans to make booking appointments simpler, to improve diagnosis, to give men personalised support plans, and to point men in the direction of leading charities like us at Prostate Cancer UK. 

We’re also encouraged that the Government is taking the issue of safe and effective screening so seriously, being led by the evidence and engaging with our experts during the consultation period.  

Prostate Cancer UK is here for every man navigating the disease — if you have any questions or worries, you can access up-to-date information, and talk to our Specialist Nurses, via our website.

Professor Habib Naqvi, Chief Executive, NHS Race and Health Observatory, said:  

We welcome the proposals for personalised cancer care plans which have the potential to be a real game changer in providing meaningful, holistic support to cancer patients at a times of great need.  

Culturally sensitive tailored support, along with signposting to trusted, relevant local organisations and a named care lead, can help address longstanding inequalities in cancer care experienced by marginalised communities.

Duleep Allirajah, Chief Executive of the Richmond Group of Charities said: 

We’re delighted that cancer patients will be routinely referred, at diagnosis, to charity support services. This will be game-changing. Whether it is peer support, benefits advice or help to manage the side effects of treatment, too many patients are missing out on the services that charities are uniquely placed to provide.” 

Susanna Daniels, Chief Executive Officer of Melanoma Focus said: 

Support for people both during and after a cancer diagnosis is absolutely vital. The anxiety and worry does not stop when treatment does, and we know from patients how they often feel the impact when their treatment ends and when waiting for follow-up scan results.  

We therefore very much welcome the focus the National Cancer Plan has on personalised recovery, including support available from charities, such as Melanoma Focus.