Hundreds of thousands of cancer patients will receive vital mental health support months earlier than expected following a Daily Express campaign. The Government has announced a move to end a postcode lottery that has left patients struggling with anxiety and depression during and after treatment.
Despite the psychological toll of a cancer diagnosis, mental health problems are often overlooked by medical teams, while support, where available, can be inadequate or short-lived. Following the Express Cancer Care campaign led by reporter Robert Fisk – who has incurable bowel cancer – all newly diagnosed cancer patients will have a personal cancer plan by the end of this year.
Rollout to All Patients in England
The scheme is then expected to be rolled out to all cancer patients in England next year. By 2028, they will be available on the NHS App – allowing them to be regularly reviewed and updated as people's needs change.
It means anyone diagnosed with cancer will have a complete support plan that covers not just their treatment but also their wider physical and mental health needs and social needs. The latter includes employment and financial support, much of which they will access through services in their area.
End-of-Treatment Support
They will also receive an end-of-treatment summary to address the cliff edge that 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 and local cancer groups.
Health Innovation Minister James Frith said: “A cancer diagnosis shouldn’t mean navigating treatment alone, and no-one should fall off a cliff edge when their treatment ends. That’s why every newly diagnosed cancer patient in England is going to be offered their own personal cancer plan – a complete support package covering not just the medical treatment they’ll receive, but how their wider physical and mental health needs will be addressed, and any advice and help they will need with their job and financial situation.”
Frith added: “This is a crucial part of our National Cancer Plan, which is tackling this cruel disease on all fronts – from faster diagnosis, improved treatments, and better patient care, to the advanced research and new clinical trials that are going to help us defeat cancer for good. I want to applaud The Express’s tireless campaigning on this issue, which has been crucial in helping to drive real change, on behalf of millions of cancer patients.”
Campaign Success and Charity Response
The promise of a personal cancer plan for each patient came from former Health Secretary Wes Streeting back in February. It followed the Express's lengthy campaign calling for mental health support to be provided throughout a patient's treatment and recovery, rather than only at diagnosis. A firm date for the rollout was not set at that time, with people working on the plan behind the scenes suggesting early next year.
There was then concern that leadership changes in Government – in which Mr Streeting was moved to the post of Defence Secretary and Yvette Cooper became Health Secretary – would cause it to be delayed even further. Charities backing the Daily Express's Cancer Care campaign have welcomed the news about the rollout.
Macmillan Cancer Support's senior external affairs manager Priyanka Patel said: “Cancer can affect every part of your life, from your physical and mental health to your finances, work and relationships. Personal cancer plans can play a vital role in helping people live well with cancer, ensuring people receive support tailored to what matters most to them. Now the government must ensure that everyone living with cancer can access this support consistently, so nobody is left behind when it comes to getting the care they need.”
Pancreatic Cancer UK's senior policy and health improvement manager Peter De Rosa said: “Pancreatic cancer is uniquely aggressive. Patients’ physical health can deteriorate heartbreakingly quickly, while simply learning the appalling survival rates can take a severe mental and emotional toll on everyone affected, including family and friends. Having the right support in place is so important in helping people tolerate treatment, manage symptoms and spend precious time with their loved ones.”
Holly Heath, head of policy at Breast Cancer Now, said: “No one should have to face this devastating disease without the right support. Breast cancer affects every aspect of a person’s life, including day-to-day activities, work and their friends and family. So it’s great that personal cancer plans will help ensure people receive tailored support that addresses not only their treatment but also their wider emotional and financial needs. We must ensure this support is available from the moment someone needs it but, just as crucially, that it continues when treatment ends. People often tell us that it’s at this point they feel as though they’ve fallen off a cliff edge – and worry about the cancer returning or spreading.”
The Brain Tumour Charity's chief executive Dr Michele Afif said: “The commitment to personal cancer plans in England is a welcome step forward, reflecting long-standing calls from people affected by brain tumours. For our community, the impact of a diagnosis reaches far beyond treatment. Patients and families face loss of independence, disrupted working lives and financial insecurity, often while struggling to access support. Personal plans could connect them with timely rehabilitation, emotional support and financial and employment advice. The NHS needs the staff, training and funding to deliver this, with local services and specialist teams working together to provide co-ordinated support closer to home.”
Dame Laura Lee, chief executive of cancer care charity 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, and we welcome its commitment to ensuring everyone diagnosed with cancer receives tailored support covering everything from exercise and employment to mental health and nutrition.”
