We also asked for a focus on implementing the 21 nationally agreed pathways for Wales. This is at the heart of how we will ensure that patients get the right care wherever they are in Wales. These standardised pathways help us to focus on improving consistency and quality of care, and they include the new non-specific symptom pathway for Wales, which plugs into our rapid diagnostic centres. We will have the whole of the population of Wales covered by these centres in the next few months, which is a wonderful achievement. Many of them already exist, and they will be in place a whole year before England.

The quality statement places a focus on person-centred care, and, earlier this month, I spoke about the findings of the cancer patient experience survey, which showed, even during the pandemic, that 92 per cent of patients rated their care 'good' or 'very good'. The survey also provided important information about access to key workers and benefits advice, and that will now form part of local work on improving patient experience. 

I’ve also recently issued a written statement on the cancer information solution. This is our £11 million investment in replacing the digital cancer patient record. We achieved the first major milestone of the overall programme in November, when Velindre Cancer Centre moved onto the Welsh patient administration system to manage its clinics, and started using the new digital patient record for cancer care. This has resolved a major service continuity risk that the public accounts committee has previously highlighted.

We all know how critical the development of the workforce is, and that's why we have committed to planning the workforce to meet future need for cancer care. So, I was very pleased to announce, on 18 January, the  education and training plan of Health Education and Improvement Wales. That included uplifts, for the the third successive year, in the number of higher training posts for clinical and medical oncology, as well as further uplifts in training for clinical radiology and palliative care, which are vital roles in cancer pathways.

There are numerous other areas to mark or celebrate, including the all-Wales robotic surgery programme, the new breast cancer centres of excellence coming into place, the reduction in the bowel screening age range, and improvements in participation. But, I would like to end by focusing on our announcement last week of more than £86 million for new radiotherapy treatment equipment and facilities, including a new radiotherapy satellite centre in Abergavenny. Collectively, these developments, described in the cancer services improvement plan, speak to our commitment to support improved cancer services and outcomes. I hope that they will make a significant difference to the people delivering and, of course, those receiving cancer care in Wales.