Matt Hancock was plunged into a fresh virus row last night after it emerged thousands of cancer patients were being denied Covid-safe treatments that could save their lives. Doctors insist that many of the cancer centres that do not provide the faster treatment already have the necessary equipment. MPs from the parliamentary radiotherapy and cancer all-party groups have urged Mr Hancock to realise that boosting radiotherapy services would help save the lives of thousands of cancer sufferers ‘without detriment to the overall Covid-19 response’. The appeal comes amid reports that up to eight million people will be waiting for NHS treatment by the autumn as hospitals struggled to cope due to the crisis. Last night, a source close to Mr Hancock said that now the peak of the virus had passed, ‘we are working hard to get services going again’ while NHS England said it was aiming to expand advanced radiotherapy services.

Source: Daily Mail May 17, 2020 01:12 UTC