Cancer nurse pledge is ‘personal’, says Ed Davey
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has said his party’s pledge to provide a cancer specialist nurse for every patient is “personal”, as he reiterated his plans for health and social care.
The party, in its manifesto published earlier this month, promised measures to make sure the NHS was training, recruiting and retaining the health staff it needs, should it win next week’s general election.
“Like millions of people, my life was turned upside down by cancer – so this is personal”
Ed Davey
The party also said it would improve cancer care by introducing a 62-day treatment start date guarantee after an urgent referral, replacing old equipment, investing in research and screening – and ensuring every patient has a cancer specialist nurse dedicated to them through additional recruitment of these nurses.
Sir Ed has recently said the policy is personal to him; the Liberal Democrat leader lost both his parents to cancer when he was child. He was four when his father died of Hodgkin lymphoma, and 15 when his mother died of breast and bone cancer.
“Every day counts in a battle against cancer,” said Sir Ed, as reported by The Standard.
“But far too many people are being tragically let down and left waiting too long to start treatment after diagnosis.
“By recruiting more specialist nurses, we would give cancer patients a single point of contact to support them through one of the most difficult periods of their lives.”
He added: “Like millions of people, my life was turned upside down by cancer – so this is personal.”
Sir Ed’s party, earlier this week, also unveiled its “plan for care and carers”. This document, published as a standalone, repeated pledges made about social care in the Liberal Democrat’s main manifesto.
These included free personal care based on need for England, increasing care workers’ minimum wage, a higher and more accessible carers’ allowance and the creation of a cross-party commission on “sustainable” funding for social care in England.
In a foreword to this new document, Sir Ed mentioned again his personal ties to the policies.
Sir Ed spoke of his experiences as a carer for his mother, during her cancer treatment, his grandmother in her later years and for his disabled son John.
“I know that looking after someone you love – whether as a parent of a disabled child, a teenager of a terminally ill parent or a close relative of an elderly family member – can be rewarding and full of love,” he said.
“But it’s far from glamorous: and it can be relentless and exhausting. And I know how much of a difference just a little extra support can make.
“There are millions of family carers across the UK looking after loved ones. We are a nation of carers. But for far too long, caring has been in the shadows.”
