A major conditions strategy cannot replace a national cancer plan—patient advocates voice their concerns

Abstract

The UK Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Stephen Barclay, has set out plans for an alternative approach to cancer service provision based on a major conditions strategy. 1 Barclay S Major conditions and diseases announcement. Jan 24, 2023. Hansard, Commons. https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2023-01-24/debates/23012433000010/MajorConditionsAndDiseasesDate accessed: February 24, 2023 Google Scholar The six areas for inclusion in the strategy are cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, dementia, mental health, and musculoskeletal disorders. All these areas are priorities for a national health strategy but is lumping them all together an effective route to success in treating them? As patients and patient advocates, we do not consider that this approach is wise, either for people with these diseases or for the National Health Service (NHS). A holistic approach to patient care can be helpful and there are many scenarios when “integrated, whole-person care”, as promised by this new strategy, 1 Barclay S Major conditions and diseases announcement. Jan 24, 2023. Hansard, Commons. https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2023-01-24/debates/23012433000010/MajorConditionsAndDiseasesDate accessed: February 24, 2023 Google Scholar is appropriate and beneficial; however, understanding comorbidities is vital to treatment outcomes and experiences and a key part of clinical decision making for individual patients, and is very different to merging diseases in a national strategy that will dilute attention to specific areas.