Influencing public policy and campaigning for change

Progress against the objectives we set last year – 2010/11 Make progresswith our work to prevent cancer and

make sure it is diagnosed as early as possible. Tobacco use remains the most important preventable cause of cancer, yet every day hundreds of children start to smoke in the UK. Stopping the next generation from smoking is vital. It’s why we called on the UK governments to prevent tobacco products being displayed in shops across the UK. These changes will come into force in April 2012 for large stores and April 2015 for all other shops. The next crucial step is plain packaging. Tobacco companies use eye-catching pack designs to promote their products and attract new smokers. Plain packs are less attractive, especially to young people, and make health warnings more effective.

In October 2010, thanks to our campaigning, the government added flexible sigmoidoscopy (flexi sig) – a revolutionary new test for bowel cancer – to the screening programme in England. Once fully rolled out, flexi sig could save thousands of lives every year, and we will work with government to ensure this happens quickly across the country. We’ll press for similar commitments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Our September 2010 review of the UK’s cancer plans highlighted successful policies from recent years as well as exposing gaps.

We recommended that the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments prioritise early diagnosis in their new cancer plans. In its February 2011 review, Better Cancer Care, the Scottish government did just that.

Raise awareness of the importance of radiotherapy

as a cancer treatment to increase demand for better services. We helped develop the National Radiotherapy Awareness Initiative, alongside NHS experts, to increase the use of radiotherapy and build support for improved services.

Our ‘Voice for Radiotherapy’ campaign,

launched in February 2011, asks the public to sign a petition to

Downing Street calling for more equipment and staff to deliver better radiotherapy services in England.

Improving equal access to all cancer treatments, such as radiotherapy, is vital. It’s why we monitor the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence’s (NICE) approvals of new treatments in England and Wales to ensure the most effective treatments are made available to all patients.

Some of our objectives for 2011/12

Wewillworkwith politicians to improve access to

chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery and ensure new treatments are adopted quickly within theNHS by: Helping to improve radiotherapy provision through the National Action Plan for Radiotherapy, raising its political profile and improving public awareness of its benefits.

Monitoring changes in the English NHS as commissioning is devolved to GPs, to make sure patients receive the best possible treatments and continuity of care.

Workwith politicians to protect ourworld-leading

science base and create the best possible environment for research. Scientists should not be held back by excessive bureaucracy or laws which hinder research.

• We welcomed the UK government’s announcement, in response to recommendations we helped develop, of the formation of a single agency to regulate health research so the UK can cut the time it takes to approve research. We will monitor how the new agency develops.

Annual Report and Accounts / Influencing public policy and campaigning for change / 09

We will call on the four UK governments to produce long-term plans for science, supported by stable funding.

For more on our influencing work aboutus.cancerresearchuk.org/ influencing-public-policy

In the 2011 elections in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, we worked with the main parties to ensure cancer treatment and research featured in their own plans. In Europe, we built links with MEPs and are working to improve EU regulations that govern research.

Keep cancer high on the agenda following the general

election inWestminster and prepare for elections in the Scottish Parliament,WelshAssembly and Northern IrelandAssembly. Over 1,000 general election candidates pledged to back our ‘Commit to Beat Cancer’ campaign to make cancer outcomes among the best in Europe. More than 250 pledgers subsequently became MPs.

Post-election, over 70 Ambassadors (supporters who help us lobby politicians) urged their MP to keep early diagnosis on the political agenda. Thanks to them, GPs will get better access to diagnostic tests such as chest x-rays and ultrasounds, which will help speed up diagnosis.