Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish has backed Macmillan nurses ahead of the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning and thanked them for their invaluable support.
Macmillan’s Cancer Support held a parliamentary event last week, in which they met with Gwynne and other parliamentarians to discuss the need for urgent investment in cancer nursing across the UK.
Research conducted by Macmillan found that 630,000 cancer patients in the UK are facing treatment delays or missing out on vital support because of a shortage of specialist nurses. It also found that those diagnosed with cancer in the past two years who lacked specialist support were much more likely to report serious mental health impacts related to their cancer diagnosis.
Macmillan is now calling for a cancer nurse fund of £124m in England to train an extra 3,371 specialist cancer nurses in England at the upcoming comprehensive spending review.
Gwynne, whose father is currently undergoing treatment, said:
“I have seen first-hand how incredible Macmillan Nurses are. Over the course of dad’s treatment, they have been invaluable and so supportive. I cannot thank Macmillan Nurses enough for the work that they do.
The report that Macmillan is shocking and deeply upsetting. The fact that over 20% of those suffering with cancer are doing so without specialist support is extremely concerning, and unless action is taken urgently, that gap will only widen.
I urge the Government to implement the recommendations in the report. Macmillan are amazing, but they need proper support to help more people suffering from this terrible illness. I will continue to do everything I can to raise this issue with Ministers and in parliament over the coming months”.
The World’s Biggest Coffee Morning will take place on the 24th of September. To find out more information click here.
Gwynne last week at the Parliamentary event in support of Macmillan Nurses.