article_snippet: Macmillan Cancer Support has described the situation as ‘shameful’ and warns too many patients are dying needlessly here when too many patients would survive had too many patients been treated elsewhere in Europe.
article_snippet: And despite billions being spent to improve cancer survival rates over the last 15 years – £640million invested by Labour in the early 2000s and £750million by the Tories
article_snippet: In 2002 Labour increased National Insurance tax by 1 per cent as part of a budget introduced by then Chancellor Gordon Brown specifically to pay for major improvements in the NHS, notably cancer care.
article_snippet: But only this month figures showed that waiting times for scans are at waiting times for scans highest in seven years while a report by MPs warned of ‘unacceptable’ variation in care.
article_snippet: Lynda Thomas, chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, said: ‘
article_snippet: Experts are worried improvements made to survival rates have stalled because the NHS cannot cope with the ever-increasing numbers being diagnosed with cancer.
article_snippet: Meanwhile, the latest monthly NHS statistics showed 18,740 patients waited longer than six weeks for tests to diagnose cancer such as X-rays, CT scans or ultrasounds – up 40 per cent in a year and the worst figure since February 2008.
article_snippet: It follows a report by MPs warning of ‘unacceptable’ and ‘unexplained’ variation in cancer detection and treatment across England – particularly for the elderly.
article_snippet: Sean Duffy, of NHS England, said: ‘Sean Duffy, of NHS England are diagnosing and treating more people than ever before and as a result