FORMER MINISTER’S WIDOW WARNS HEALTH SECRETARY: ‘DON’T LET LUNG CANCER SCREENING LOSE MOMENTUM’

Cathy Brokenshire, lung cancer awareness campaigner and widow of the Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP, who died from lung cancer, is today (29 July 2026) urging the new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to safeguard the future of England’s targeted lung cancer screening programme — warning that emerging threats risk undermining one of the NHS’s most successful recent health interventions.

In advance of World Lung Cancer Day, and together with co-directors from the UK Lung Cancer Coalition (UKLCC), Mrs Brokenshire has written to the Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP, highlighting the programme’s impact in transforming outcomes for the UK’s biggest cancer killer.1 Since roll out was announced in England in 2023, more than 11,500 lung cancers have already been identified, with now more than three-quarters (76%) found at an early, more curable stage – compared to less than 30% before screening.2,3,4

However, the programme’s momentum is now at risk:

  • Lack of long term funding: Lung cancer screening is the only national screening programme without guaranteed funding beyond 2030, despite the Government’s commitment in the National Cancer Plan to reach 100% of the eligible population (55- to 74-year-olds in England with a history of smoking) by that date.5
  • ICB interference and cost cutting: Reports of high performing screening teams being disrupted and screening funds diverted elsewhere are causing concern. Clear national guidance is needed to ensure money allocated for screening is used solely for screening.
  • Organisational transition risks: The move away from NHS England must be carefully managed to avoid destabilising leadership, data systems and clinical governance.
  • Severe workforce shortages: Radiology, pathology, thoracic surgery and genomics teams are already under strain. Without expanded diagnostic and surgical capacity, early stage cancers identified through screening may not be treated in time.
  • Uneven UK-wide implementation: Wales begins roll out next year, but progress in Scotland and Northern Ireland remains limited, risking widening inequalities across the UK.

Mrs Brokenshire said: “Lung cancer screening is saving lives. James believed deeply in the importance of early diagnosis, and this programme is delivering exactly that. We cannot afford to lose momentum. With protected funding, a strong workforce and UK wide commitment, lung cancer screening can continue to transform outcomes for patients and families.”

View a copy of the letter to Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP, the newly- appointed Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

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About lung cancer
Lung cancer is the UK’s biggest cancer killer with nearly 33,000 people dying each year.1 It accounts for almost one fifth of all UK cancer deaths (19%) 1- and lung cancer in never smokers is the eighth most common cause of cancer-related death in the UK.6 Five-year UK lung cancer survival rates compare poorly with comparable European countries (16.2%)7- and nearly one-third (30%) of people with lung cancer are diagnosed by emergency admission to hospital (in England).8 However, it can be cured if diagnosed early enough.

About James Brokenshire MP
Rt Hon James Brokenshire was MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup died from lung cancer in 2021 aged 53 years old.  His political appointments included Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from 2016 to 2018 and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government from 2018 to 2019. He was diagnosed from lung cancer in 2017.  He had never smoked. 

About the UK Lung Cancer Coalition (UKLCC)
The UKLCC is the UK’s largest multi‑stakeholder coalition dedicated to improving lung cancer survival and quality of care. Established in 2005, the coalition brings together clinicians, charities, patients and industry partners to drive evidence‑based policy change, reduce inequalities and promote earlier diagnosis. The UKLCC’s current ambition is to achieve 35% five‑year survival by 2035, a target made achievable through the expansion of targeted lung cancer screening. www.uklcc.org.uk

References:

  1. Cancer Research UK Statistics. Accessed July 2026 https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/lung-cancer
  2. New lung cancer screening roll-out to detect cancer sooner, NHS England, June 2023, accessed July 2026 at:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-lung-cancer-screening-roll-out-to-detect-cancer-sooner
  3. NHS England Lung Cancer Screening Monthly Update Newsletter for April 2026. 8th July 2026
  4. Targeted Lung Health Check Programme renamed the NHS Lung Cancer Screening Programme, NHS England, 2025, accessed July 2026: https://nationalscreening.blog.gov.uk/2025/01/31/targeted-lung-health-check-programme-renamed-the-nhs-lung-cancer-screening-programme/
  5. National Cancer Plan for England (Feb 2026), accessed July 2026: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69dce11fd3e08b8871b6662c/national-cancer-plan-for-england-delivering-world-class-cancer-care.pdf
  6. Lung cancer in never smokers: a hidden disease. Peake M et al. Accessed July 2026 at: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0141076819843654
  7. IHE, Comparator Report on Cancer in Europe 2019 – disease burden, costs and access to medicines.  Accessed July 2026:  https://ihe.se/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/IHE-Report-2019_7_.pdf 
  8. National Lung Cancer Audit State of the Nation Report 2026. Accessed July 2026: https://www.natcan.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/NLCA-State-of-the-Nation-Report-2026.pdf

For further information or interviews, please contact:

Lynsey Conway – 07778 304233
UKLCC External Affairs
email@lynseyconway.co.uk
external-affairs@uklcc.org.uk

Media Enquiries

For media enquiries, please contact:

Lynsey Conway, UKLCC Communications Consultant
07778 304233 or external-affairs@uklcc.org.uk