As part of Cancerbackup’s campaign to improve access to treatments and speed up the time it takes for treatments to reach all patients, we have proposed the idea of an innovation fund.

The Department of Health should set aside a pot of money as an ‘Innovation Fund’. This Fund should be available to fund the use of new cancer treatments which get their licence and/or NICE guidance part way through the financial year. This would ensure that new, innovative, treatments are made widely available across England and Wales as soon as possible. It would also support the implementation of guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in the first crucial few months.

More information about Cancerbackup's involvement in the NICE process can be found in our Policy & Parliament pages.