AQW 2490/22-27

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 30/06/2022
Answered On Date: 07/07/2022
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health for an update on progress of the Year 1 actions set out in the Cancer Recovery Plan, published on 24th June 2021, including the actions have been implemented and any slippage that has occurred.

Answer:

The Cancer Recovery Plan ‘Building Back; Rebuilding better’, that focused on recovering from the impact of COVID-19 has been superseded by the Cancer Strategy 2022-2032.

Officials in my Department are currently in process of progressing the key actions as outlined in the Cancer Strategy and delivery will be dependent on budget availability. I am very conscious of pressing demands for extra funding across many areas of health and social care and as Minister, I will continue to do the best I can to deliver for the public with the resources I have available.

Amid ongoing budget uncertainty, I am on record as warning that funding pressures in health may be significant by the second half of 2022/23. The financial situation will undoubtedly be constrained whatever the final budget settlement.

Despite the current and significant challenges in 2021, I introduced a grant scheme using COVID-19 funding of £10.1 million. This funding will afford cancer charities the opportunity to bid under a number of criteria which are aligned with recommendations in the Cancer Recovery Plan and the Cancer Strategy. The grant is managed through the Community Foundation Northern Ireland and between April 2021 and March 2022 there were 21 grants awarded at a total of £8.1million.