Our Strategy 2026 – 2031: What it means for patients and those who care about them

​​​​​Our strategy will build on the excellent care, groundbreaking research and wraparound support we already deliver and make it even better in years to come.

It promises we will provide outstanding care tailored to each patient and support people before, during and after their cancer treatment. We will continue to expand research and clinical trials and lead the way in developing services that meet patients’ future needs. Our strategy reflects the National Cancer Plan for England.

That includes:

• Care even closer to home or at home, where appropriate.
• Clearer communication, joined-up information and easier access to services.
• More personalised and inclusive care.
• Better support before, during and after treatment so people with cancer have the best possible quality of life.
• Digital tools (including the NHS App and our patient portal) to help you.
• Even greater access to clinical trials and innovative treatments. 
• Specialist and inclusive support for everyone.
• Using genomics, AI and other innovations to advance care.
• Faster diagnosis and access to care – although most people are diagnosed before being referred to us, we will do all we can to make this happen quickly.

What this means for you 

• We will get the basics right and make it as easy as possible for you to access our services. We will give you clear information about your care. Different teams will communicate so care is joined up.
• We will provide care in ways that work for patients as well as the NHS by listening to what matters to each person, co-designing services with patients and carers and using feedback to keep improving.
• Patients and carers will have a direct say in this through our new VOICE forum (Valuing Our Individual Carer and Patient Experiences).
• To make sure every service meets the very highest standards, we will expand our CCCare quality scheme to all clinical services.
• Patients will benefit from new treatments such as additional CAR-T therapies and tumour infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy. Current treatments will be delivered differently where appropriate to give you more control – for example, self-administration where patients can give themselves their own treatment at home if they prefer, after being shown how to do this safely.
• We will use data to help reduce the inequalities that mean people from some backgrounds and neighbourhoods are more likely to die from cancer. While many of the reasons for this are out of our control (e.g. deprivation and lifestyle), we will use data to provide care that reduces the gap in treatment outcomes and survival.
• Major investment in our estates will mean every patient can be cared for in bright, comfortable, modern facilities. We will completely modernise and upgrade our Halton treatment unit and develop a brand-new chemotherapy unit in Wirral designed for the next generation of cancer therapies. 
• We will expand Clatterbridge in the Community (our treatment at home service) and work with others so you can get the care you need in the best place – for example, at home or in your local community where appropriate.
• This includes extending Ambicare (ambulatory care) to more treatments that currently require patients to stay in hospital overnight. Instead, they will have daycase care and wrapround support at home every night. 
• We will strengthen the support we offer to people before, during and after their treatment through:
  • Prehabilitation – helping you prepare mentally and physically before treatment.
  • Rehabilitation and survivorship – helping you recover and adjust to life after treatment.
  • Late effects – help with long-term effects, even many years after treatment.
• We led the way by launching the UK’s first specialist urgent and emergency cancer care service together with our partners across Cheshire and Merseyside. Over the next 5 years, we will continue to expand urgent and ambulatory services so you can get the specialist care you need outside hospital or emergency departments wherever possible.
• Genomics and AI have already delivered advances in cancer care. We will 
  continue to bring innovations like this into standard clinical practice, safely 
  and ethically, so every patient can benefit.
• Patients will have even greater access to clinical trials, advanced therapies and new technologies. We will invest in our services, people and equipment – for example, for diagnostics and radiotherapy treatment.
• Digital improvements will make it easier for you to access and manage your care – for example, through the NHS App and our patient portal. Importantly, we will also make sure we support people who cannot use digital tools. 
• We will make sure our services are fully inclusive and accessible by recognising each individual’s needs and preferences, including people who may face barriers or need additional help. (We have not included specific examples so no one feels overlooked.)
• Finally, we also commit to doing this in an environmentally sustainable, ethnical and socially responsible way – and to being good citizens and good people to work with.

These are just some of the ways we plan to make The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre (CCC) even better for patients and those who care about them. Read Our Strategy 2026 – 2031 to find out more.