Summary: Parliamentary Roundtable on Delivering Equity in Cancer Care

On 16 June 2026 the All-Parliamentary Group for Health (APHG) partnered with the APPG for Cancer on a parliamentary roundtable event discussion focused on delivering equity in cancer care. The event was co-organised by Policy Connect and Macmillan Cancer Support. 

Chaired by Navendu Mishra MP, the discussion brought together a range of perspectives to discuss how inequalities in cancer care can be tackled throughout the implementation of the UK government’s National Cancer Plan. Attended by Scott Arthur MP and Catherine Clifford, the Senior Policy Advisor in Cancer at the Department of Health and Social Care, the session provided expert insights from policy makers, clinicians, community organisations and researchers.  

The discussion focused heavily on the importance of data collection, data sharing and understanding where inequalities exist across the cancer pathway. Attendees highlighted challenges relating to incomplete demographic data, limited information sharing across healthcare settings and gaps in understanding of the experiences of certain communities.  

Trust and engagement were also identified as significant barriers. Attendees discussed the importance of normalising conversations about cancer, improving awareness and building trust within communities that may be less likely to engage with services. The discussion also highlighted the way inequalities can intersect and compound one another, particularly where deprivation, ethnicity, geography, disability, rurality and sexual orientation overlap.  

Attendees emphasised multiple priorities for change. These included:  

• The need for accountability and leadership in addressing inequalities, including the role of dedicated leadership structures within implementation of the National Cancer Plan. 

• The importance of meaningful representation of people with lived experience and underserved communities within governance and decision-making structures.  

• The effectiveness of community-led approaches and partnership working. 

• Improving diversity in research, genomics and clinical trials. 

An update was provided on plans for the National Cancer Board, including the appointment of leads, expected to be announced in July. Interviews have been undertaken for the Board’s co-chair position and rare cancers lead, while individuals had been approached directly for the inequalities lead and children and young people’s cancer lead roles.  

There was broad agreement that reducing inequalities will require sustained collaboration between government, the NHS, researchers, charities, community organisations and people with lived experience. Catherine Clifford highlighted that implementation of the National Cancer Plan would be an ongoing process and welcomed continued engagement from stakeholders throughout delivery of the Plan.