A briefing by the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) and the Society of Radiographers (SoR) says the Government's Cancer Plan should include a commitment to reconsider how innovative cancer treatments are commissioned and funded.

Dr Nicky Thorp, vice-president for clinical oncology at the RCR, said: ‘Our NHS pioneers and delivers some of the most cutting-edge cancer treatments in the world. However, red tape is preventing equal access to innovative types of radiotherapy and new drugs that can transform lives. 

‘The upcoming Cancer Plan presents a fantastic opportunity to commit to reconsider how these are commissioned and funded. This would shift the dial by encouraging trusts to embrace innovation and helping more patients benefit from the latest treatments.  

‘We urge the Government to use the Cancer Plan to fix a funding system that is stopping some from accessing the best possible cancer treatment. We stand ready to support them to ensure no patient is left behind.'

The RCR and SoR said the current funding model requires a cumbersome application process which can delay NHS trusts adopting current-edge treatments.

The bodies said funding can fail to cover the cost of delivery forcing some trusts not to adopt world class treatments and choose less effective options.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘This Government is working to stamp out this country's stark health inequalities – quality of care should never be determined by where you live.

‘We are prioritising cancer care as we turn around more than a decade of neglect of our NHS, and we're already seeing progress, with 148,000 more people having cancer diagnosed or ruled out within 28 days from July 2024 to June 2025 compared to a year earlier.

‘Through our Plan for Change, we are also bringing care closer to home by opening more Community Diagnostic Centres and new neighbourhood health services across the country.'