Hannah Davies, CEO, Northern Health Science Alliance, has said: “The publication of the National Cancer Plan sets out an ambitious, long-term vision to improve cancer outcomes for patients – and it rightly places research, innovation and scientific discovery at the heart of that mission.

“We welcome the Plan’s clear commitment to transforming cancer diagnosis, treatment, and care through cutting-edge science. The explicit emphasis on accelerating research and innovation – from genomic and blood-based diagnostics, to AI-enabled tools, digital platforms and personalised therapies – reflects the strengths of the UK life sciences sector and our world-class research base across. It’s also heartening to see a commitment to tackling health inequalities – not only will these commitments improve patient outcomes and transform the cancer trajectory, they will also reinforce England’s global leadership in the life sciences.

“In the North, our universities, NHS Trusts and innovation partners are already collaborating on pioneering work in this field. It’s crucial that our northern collective and expertise have a seat at the table in future NHS cancer plans, and that the excellence our regions can bring are recognised and fully utilised.

“This Plan is an exciting blueprint for the next decade. The NHSA looks forward to working with its members, partners, industry and academia to turn these commitments into reality for patients and communities.”