Seizing the moment: opportunities presented by the new cancer plan for England

‘The national cancer plan for England’, published in February 2026, has set an ambitious target: by 2035, it says 75% of people diagnosed with cancer will be cancer-free or living well five years later, saving 320,000 more lives^​1​. Priorities include prevention, early diagnosis, person-centred care and world-leading research. The plan also commits to tackle persistent health inequalities that are driving later diagnosis and poorer outcomes among socioeconomic disadvantaged groups and individuals from the global majority.  

It is welcome that both the British Oncology Pharmacy Association (BOPA) and pharmacy workforce are explicitly mentioned within the plan, recognising their crucial role on patient care along the cancer pathway. For example, in delivering chemotherapy at home and in supporting prevention and early diagnosis in community pharmacy through BOPA’s ‘Let’s communicate cancer’ programme.

However, the scope of cancer pharmacy professionals outlined in the plan is largely limited to select community pharmacy pilot programmes (e.g. HPV vaccination) and some industry roles (to accelerate the uptake of GLP-1 medicines). As experts embedded in every part of the healthcare system, from community to primary care, hospital and academia, pharmacy professionals can have a greater impact, including translating the plan’s ambition into more equitable, diverse and inclusive care. For instance, specialist non-prescribing roles, medicines optimisation, toxicity management, system leadership and multidisciplinary team (MDT) coordination, quality improvement programmes and system-wide innovation.

Through its equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) subcommittee, BOPA is already actioning the national cancer plan’s vision to improve health equity. Ongoing work includes developing an EDI checklist and key performance indicators, aligning BOPA activities with EDI principles, frameworks for inclusive care, and guidance for prescribing in transgender and gender-diverse people, alongside initiatives to improve data collection on EDI characteristics during clinical trials^​2,3​.

Prevention and early diagnosis

Despite the availability of free cancer screening programmes across the UK, evidence consistently shows that uptake is below the national average in areas of greater deprivation and diversity, which is ultimately contributing to later diagnosis and poorer survival outcomes.^​4​ Barriers are complex and extend beyond knowledge or access. Cultural beliefs, stigma, mistrust of healthcare, language differences and social or religious perceptions all influence how individuals engage with screening^​5,6​.

Pharmacy professionals, particularly in community settings, have trusted relationships with the public and frequent opportunities to engage proactively. By making every contact count, they can raise awareness of modifiable cancer risks, encourage participation in screening programmes and signpost to further support. 

These local, person‑centred interactions can make a tangible difference to reducing inequalities in early diagnosis. For instance, emerging evidence from the ‘red flag’ cancer symptoms and referrals to specialist cancer services being piloted in community pharmacy have shown positive outcomes to date^​3​. Similarly, 50,000 pharmacy staff have completed BOPA’s ‘Let’s communicate cancer’ training programme, equipping our workforce to identify and act on possible cancer symptoms^​7​.

Inclusive research and innovation

The plan identifies research as instrumental to deliver world cancer care, highlighting commitments to expand genomic testing, advance immunotherapy and vaccine development, and improve access to clinical trials among under-represented groups. Central to this ambition is the need to ensure innovations are informed by EDI principles and tailored to individuals’ needs and preferences. 

If trial participation and data collection do not reflect the whole population, innovations risk widening the very inequalities they are aimed at addressing. Consider, for instance, how children from some faith groups were effectively excluded from school-based nasal flu vaccination campaigns because the only available formulation contained porcine gelatine, until injectable, non‑porcine alternatives were more widely commissioned and offered alongside the nasal spray in UK programmes^​8​.

The BOPA EDI subcommittee is working to ensure that inclusivity becomes standard practice in cancer research. This includes advocating for better data granularity, promoting equitable recruitment, and embedding patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) at the earliest stages of study design. Pharmacists can help by identifying populations under‑represented in trials, flagging medicines issues that disproportionately affect some groups, raising concerns with BOPA EDI subcommittee via email and ensuring that new therapies are safe and accessible for all. 

Reducing inequalities in cancer care

Pharmacy professionals already contribute to reducing inequalities across the cancer continuum but can be even more instrumental in delivering the cancer plan’s ambitions at all stages. 

For instance, community and primary care pharmacists engage in prevention, risk reduction and supporting early recognition of cancer symptoms. Their accessibility and trust within communities make them invaluable in addressing health literacy and cultural barriers.

In secondary care, hospital and cancer pharmacists ensure medicines optimisation, reduce treatment variation, and provide culturally competent advice that supports adherence and confidence in care. Further publications, in addition to the TRANScribing guidance, will be available on the inclusive consultation framework in the near future on BOPA’s website. Integrated care pharmacists can align pathways, strengthen continuity across sectors and incorporate equality impact assessments into service design.

Furthermore, pharmacists in academia, industry and public health can expand inclusive research practices, influence the design of equitable services and amplify the pharmacy voice in national policy dialogue.

At system level, pharmacy leaders and champions are leading and influencing inclusive and equitable service design and healthcare infrastructures that embed the pharmacy workforce. Services developed around the needs of underserved groups ultimately improve care for everyone.

A call to action

Delivering equitable, diverse and inclusive cancer care requires shared responsibility across the profession. The authors invite pharmacy professionals in all sectors to:

• Get in touch with BOPA’s EDI subcommittee to share good practice, examples of innovation promoting inclusive care and raise concerns;
• Embed equity assessment in service design, prescribing and research;
• Champion inclusion through multidisciplinary networks, research partnerships and training, ensuring that equity becomes a routine dimension of cancer care.

With one in two people likely to be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime and a high prevalence of comorbidities, every pharmacist can influence better outcomes for patients^​9,10​. Through leadership, research excellence and inclusive practice, our profession can ensure that the promise of the cancer plan, world‑class cancer care for all, is realised for all individuals and families affected by cancer.