The Labour Government in Cardiff Bay have been criticised by Cancer Research UK for not having a strategy to fight cancer, making Wales soon to become the only UK nation without one.
The charity’s Andy Glyde, said it is hard to improve Wales' cancer services without a comprehensive national strategy for doing so:
“It's really difficult to see what the pathway is for improvement innovation in cancer services long term and at a national level…The thing that we're really missing is a cancer strategy right now.”
While the Northern Irish Executive develops its plans now, Mr Glyde said the "quality statement for cancer" Welsh ministers issued earlier this year was just setting "minimum standards for cancer services” that lacked ambition regarding transforming existing services.
It follows news that the number of people entering hospitals in Wales for cancer treatment had fallen by over 40,000 in the first year of the pandemic, sparking fears that lockdowns had unintended consequences.
It was revealed in the summer that nearly 60,000 breast cancer screenings have been missed because of the pandemic with a charity predicting almost 620 women are living with undiagnosed breast cancer.
The Welsh Conservatives have long called for rapid diagnostic centres to ensure, despite the pressures of the pandemic, people would still have life-threatening conditions identified promptly.
Commenting, Welsh Conservative and Shadow Health Minister Russell George MS said:
“Devolution was supposed to be about Wales having opportunities to move faster than other parts of the UK and get better results, not falling behind part of the UK. Sadly, the Welsh Government have kept up their record of letting down the people of Wales..
“Indeed, they have put them at risk with the lack of a proper strategy to fight cancer. Those aren’t just my words, but those of experts who work for cancer charities. What is currently in place is not up to scratch.
“Welsh Conservatives have long maintained that central to any strategy must be the establishment of rapid diagnostic centres across the nation. Not only will this save lives by spotting cancer earlier, but it will take pressure off frontline NHS services, which are under now under incredible pressure.”