The National Cancer Plan

To make sure the experiences, feedback and voices of our communities were clearly represented in the development of the National Cancer Plan published this year.

Why This Matters

National strategies shape how cancer services are designed, funded and delivered. It is essential that these decisions are informed by the real experiences of people affected by cancer, particularly those in underserved or marginalised communities. Ensuring that community insight is heard at a national level helps create more equitable, accessible and person‑centred cancer care across the country.

What we did

We worked proactively to gather and submit meaningful insight from the public, our support groups and our community partners. This helped ensure that the plan reflected the realities of those using cancer services, not just those designing them.

We shared lived‑experience feedback gathered throughout the year across all our engagement work.

We ensured that voices from a range of communities, including those often underrepresented, were included.

We supported partners and community members to contribute their own experiences and priorities.

We provided clear, structured submissions that highlighted key themes, challenges and opportunities for improvement.

Outcomes

What we achieved!

Our community insight was represented within the development process for the National Cancer Plan, helping influence national priorities and highlight the issues that matter most to people affected by cancer. This strengthened the focus on equity, access, and patient‑centred care in the final publication. The work also reinforced our role as a trusted route for national teams to hear directly from communities, and we will continue ensuring local voices shape national decision‑making in future strategies.