A new expert board tasked with scrutinising the delivery of more than 100 commitments aimed at improving cancer services in England is meeting for the first time today.

The government says the reformed National Cancer Board will examine progress on earlier diagnosis, treatment and patients’ quality of life, while identifying areas where improvements are falling behind.

Dedicated national leads have been appointed for rare cancers, including brain tumours, as well as cancers affecting children and young people and inequalities in cancer care.

The board will be independently co-chaired by Anita Charlesworth alongside Mark Cubbon, representing NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care.

Health and Social Care Secretary Yvette Cooper said the board would scrutinise progress and help ensure the experiences of cancer patients remain central to the government’s work.

She said the National Cancer Plan was intended to deliver earlier diagnosis, more advanced treatments and improved outcomes for people affected by the disease.

Among those appointed to specialist roles are Dr Rob Metcalf, who will lead on rare cancers, Dr Dianne Addei on inequalities, and Ashley Ball-Gamble on cancers affecting children and young people.

The board is expected to meet every three months and publish an annual assessment of progress. A more extensive review will take place after three years to determine whether elements of the National Cancer Plan need strengthening or updating.

The National Cancer Plan, published in February 2026, contains an ambition for three-quarters of people diagnosed with cancer to either be cancer-free or living well five years after their diagnosis by 2035.

The government says work already under way includes expanding lung cancer screening and Community Diagnostic Centres, increasing access to advanced treatments and research, and improving support for people with rare cancers and those living with and beyond cancer.

Professor Peter Johnson, NHS England’s national clinical director for cancer, said bringing clinicians, charities and patients together would provide additional scrutiny of the plan’s implementation.

Cancer Research UK chief executive Michelle Mitchell welcomed the emphasis on accountability, highlighting earlier detection, cancer waiting times and access to treatment as areas requiring continued improvement.

Macmillan Cancer Support chief executive Gemma Peters said the board’s first meeting represented an important stage in turning commitments in the National Cancer Plan into changes experienced by patients.

Representatives of Cancer52 and organisations supporting children and young people with cancer also welcomed dedicated representation on the board.

The announcement comes against the backdrop of continuing pressure on NHS services. A government-commissioned investigation into the NHS has previously highlighted missed waiting-time targets, including for cancer services.