UK’s Tech Update for Better Cancer Treatment
Photo: Freepik.
In 2020, there were nearly 10 million deaths due to cancer. The disease remains a leading cause of death worldwide, which signifies the urgency for stronger and accessible treatment and services. In this light, the UK government announced a significant healthcare reform to support better cancer treatment.
Lagging Behind
Between 2017 and 2019, there were over 385,000 annual cases of cancer and around 167,000 cancer deaths in the UK. According to Cancer Research UK, 38% of cancer cases are preventable.
The World Health Organization similarly echoes that between 30 and 50% of cancer cases can be prevented by avoiding risk factors, having a healthy lifestyle, and implementing evidence-based prevention strategies. At the systemic level, this necessitates a strong and accessible healthcare system, both for cancer treatment and prevention.
However, the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) has been spotlighted for inadequate cancer treatment services. Experts have argued that the UK lags behind other countries in delivering care and support for cancer patients, with issues such as a lack of patient follow-up post-care and significant treatment delays.
Experts further highlight that creating fiscal headroom for technology adoption and increasing the NHS cancer workforce are some of the solutions to tackle this issue.
New Tool Supports Cancer Treatment
In May 2025, the UK government announced a new technology rollout on the NHS as one of its major healthcare reforms. This tool, called Cancer 360, aims to gather vital information about cancer patients in one dashboard for easier access and quicker identification of those needing urgent actions. Ultimately, the use of Cancer 360 is expected to slash cancer treatment delays.
The Cancer 360 is built into the NHS’s Federated Data Platform, which is a software that brings together patients’ information from separate systems into one safe and secure environment. According to the government statement, hospitals using the platform have performed 70,000 more procedures and reduced unnecessary hospital stays by almost 19% since April 2024.
“The NHS Federated Data Platform is already showing its value in transforming cancer care, helping our hard-working staff deliver better outcomes while reducing administrative burden. As Cancer 360 expands to more hospitals nationwide, I’m confident we’ll see meaningful improvements in both treatment times and patient experience,” said Dr Vin Diwakar, NHS National Clinical Transformation Director.
Strong and Accessible Healthcare
The emergence of Cancer 360 is supported by the £2 billion tech investment by the UK government. Improving cancer treatment and reforming the whole NHS operation is a part of the government’s Plan for Change, whose milestones include ending hospital backlogs. Ultimately, expanding and strengthening healthcare services, especially in a time of polycrisis, must be a top priority for governments and all key stakeholders in the health sector around the world to ensure a healthy and safe society.
Editor: Nazalea Kusuma
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Kresentia Madina
Madina is the Assistant Manager of Stakeholder Engagement at Green Network Asia. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English Studies from Universitas Indonesia. As part of the GNA In-House Team, she supports the organization's multi-stakeholder engagement across international organizations, governments, businesses, civil society, and grassroots communities through digital publications, events, capacity building, and research.
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