Politics Home Article | Implementing the National Cancer Plan at pace and scale

This article has been sponsored and funded by AstraZeneca.

The publication of the new National Cancer Plan for England marks a pivotal moment for people affected by cancer. At AstraZeneca, the ambition to one day eliminate cancer as a cause of death drives every aspect of our oncology strategy. In the United Kingdom, we bring this to life through our Cancer: Project Zero.

This new National Cancer Plan is a necessary step toward achieving the future envisioned in Cancer: Project Zero.

The plan’s headline target – three in four people with cancer will live well for at least five years with or beyond cancer by 2035 – is ambitious. As is the more immediate goal to recover all cancer waiting times by March 2029. But can this be achieved within this parliament?

What’s powerful about this plan is that it looks to redesign care around people’s lives, through earlier diagnosis, faster treatment, and better support, so that no one’s postcode determines their outcome. This is a compelling vision.

We now need a rigorous focus on delivery and implementation; otherwise, there is a risk that rhetoric does not meet reality.

This requires embracing the enablers that will allow the NHS to meet rising demand while improving outcomes:

• harnessing AI and digital tools to streamline and enhance processes
• sharing data better across the system to track progress and outcomes
• optimising patient pathways to reduce unnecessary appointments and accelerate access to treatment

At AstraZeneca, we are one of many organisations working with the NHS to deploy new ways of working and advances in technology. From partnerships in Manchester to drive earlier and faster diagnosis of lung cancers, to AI triage for multidisciplinary teams in London, we are collaborating with local system leaders to gather the evidence needed to drive change on the frontline.

But how do we ensure that promising innovations move beyond pilot schemes, where many remain trapped, and into routine practice?

To do this, we must foster a culture of no-regret moves. Bold decisions to adopt the innovations we know the system needs at scale and pace, supported by clear national direction and empowered local leadership. Industry, academia, and the NHS all have roles to play, but sustained political attention will be essential to maintain momentum. Parliamentarians have a unique opportunity to champion this transformation and to ensure that the commitments in the National Cancer Plan translate into action where it matters most: in the clinics, hospitals, and cancer centres you represent across the country.

That is why I invite Members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords to join us on the morning of 24 March in the Churchill Room to learn more about Cancer: Project Zero and discuss how we accelerate implementation of the National Cancer Plan. This event will bring together experts, clinicians, and innovators to explore the practical steps needed to deliver the bold ambition we all share. By working together, we can ensure that this plan becomes more than a strategy on paper. We can turn it into a reality that changes lives.

To find out more about Cancer: Project Zero, please click here.

March 2026 | GB-74943