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On World Cancer Day, officers of the SoR were in attendance at Westminster for a Radiotherapy UK event to discuss cancer pathways with MPs directly.
Taking place on 4 February at the Houses of Parliament, Radiotherapy UK invited MPs to meet with patients and members of the workforce to discuss the urgent need for equal access to radiotherapy.
The event provided an opportunity for direct, informal conversations with parliamentarians about cancer pathways, the role of radiotherapy in cancer treatment, and how ambitions set out in the government's new National Cancer Plan, published on World Cancer Day, will be delivered in practice.
Translating ambition into practice
Spencer Goodman, professional officer for radiotherapy at the SoR, said: “While the new cancer plan recognises radiotherapy’s importance, discussions quickly turned to the need for detail of delivery, particularly workforce capacity and the need for a clearly funded plan that can translate ambition into practice.
“It was really positive and important to link with colleagues across the multi-professional team to bring workforce expertise into these discussions. It was encouraging to see MPs engaging positively, including signing the declaration to the Prime Minister, committing to write to the health secretary and publicly backing the campaign. These actions are essential in maintaining pressure to deliver equitable access for patients.”
With 45 MPs in attendance, the event reinforced the “critical role” of the radiotherapy workforce in shaping national cancer policy, Spencer added.
Workforce sustainability
Direct engagement with staff and strong representation from the devolved nations meant that perspectives from across the multi-professional radiotherapy workforce were heard at a key moment following publication of the new cancer plan.
Discussions focused on the realities of delivering radiotherapy services, including capacity constraints, workforce shortages and the risk that national cancer targets will remain unmet without sustained investment.
Shared concerns over workforce sustainability and whether the forthcoming NHS workforce plan will deliver meaningful improvements continued to arise. However, the talks did position the SoR and Therapeutic Radiographers as a whole alongside clinical oncologists, physicists and clinical scientists as credible and informed contributors to ongoing debates on cancer recovery, workforce planning and equitable access to care.
Spencer concluded: “Continued presence in these forums is essential to ensuring future policy decisions reflect both patient need and the realities of the radiotherapy workforce.”
(Image: Photo by Liberal Media, via Radiotherapy UK)