Key takeaways from the Labour Party Conference 2024 

The leaves are beginning to change colour. The scent of pumpkin-spice is in the air. And the days are getting shorter. All of which can only mean one thing – party conference season is here once again. And with it comes incredible opportunities to connect with people who influence policy decisions and let them know about the difficulties faced by the brain tumour community. 

Being able to influence the newly elected Labour government is vital if we’re going to be able to achieve everything we’d like with our campaign for a National Brain Tumour Strategy. That’s why this year we’ve focused all our attention on the Labour Party Conference 2024 in Liverpool. 

We’ve broken down some of the key topics discussed at the conference that concern the brain tumour community. 

Upcoming 10 Year Plan for NHS 

There was lots of talk at the Labour Party Conference 2024 about the upcoming 10 Year Plan for the NHS. However, there was a disappointing lack of detail of what might be included in the plan. This makes it hard to evaluate how it might affect the brain tumour community. 

Although details of the plan remain scarce for now, there were indications that the consultation period will be coming soon. We remain committed to making sure the brain tumour community is heard during any relevant government consultations. Our hope is to help shape the upcoming 10 Year Plan for the NHS by submitting evidence. We’ll also look to make sure our supporters are able submit their own evidence. 

We heard a lot about what the problems were in the NHS and the difficulties highlighted in the Darzi report. Unfortunately, even in Wes Streeting’s (the current Secretary of State for Health and Social Care) speech to the conference, we didn’t learn many details about Labour’s plans to get the NHS back on track. 

NHS workforce 

It was made clear by all participants that there is no NHS without its incredible workforce. And that there was no workforce without nurses.  

They also highlighted some of the challenges faced by NHS staff including issues around pay, retention and culture. Ultimately, they said that staff simply don’t feel valued within the NHS. 

Having a fully staffed, effective and sustainable NHS workforce is crucial for people with brain tumours. Without this, they will not receive the the care and support they need.  

We know this because over four in ten respondents to our Improving Brain Tumour Care Surveys didn’t have good access to a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) or a key worker. Additionally, 84% of respondents didn’t have all the support they needed in one or more areas.  

This is why we’ve repeatedly called for improvements to be made to ensure everyone who is diagnosed with a brain tumour received a dedicated CNS or key worker. A National Brain Tumour strategy is needed to ensure that everybody diagnosed with a brain tumour is connected to the support they need across their whole pathway.   

Life sciences research 

We took in many events at the Labour Party Conference 2024 related to the health and life sciences sectors. Throughout all of them there was a clear message that these are co-dependent and can’t be treated separately. 

Many of these events highlighted the importance of setting up the UK as an attractive market for pharmaceutical companies to invest in. This would support people in the UK getting quicker access to new innovations in science, health research and technology. As well as better access to clinical trials. 

However, this change won’t happen over night. The infrastructure already needs to be in place for big pharma to be incentivised to invest here.  

We need to see better collaboration across the NHS, the government, academia, pharma and charities. We also need to ensure the regulatory process keeps up with new science and research innovations. This would mean interventions are reviewed quickly and can be brought to the patient sooner. 

We were encouraged to hear discussions at these events about improving access to whole genome sequencing and ending the post code lottery for access to clinical trials. Making sure that everybody has access to the latest innovations, no matter where they live in the UK, is critical to getting our community the best care possible.  

That’s why we continue to campaign for a National Brain tumour Strategy that transforms the research landscape. As well as improving access to new treatments. 

Getting a GP appointment 

At the Labour Party Conference 2024, GPs were central to the conversation around fixing the NHS. Worryingly, we heard that there are now being fewer GPs than in 2015. This has happened at a time when demand for GP appointments has risen significantly. 

The issues around access to GP appointments are heightened in poorer or more deprived areas of the UK. Which only exacerbates existing healthcare inequalities. 

We know how important it is for people experiencing brain tumour symptoms to be able to access GP appointments. We welcomed the promises made in Labour’s manifesto ahead of the General Election to train thousands more GPs. They also pledged to guarantee face-to-face appointments for people who’d like one. 

However, solving the workforce issue alone won’t necessarily solve all the issues faced by the brain tumour community.  

41% of respondents to our Improving Brain Tumour Care surveys said they had to visit their GP three or more times before getting a diagnosis.  

To ensure faster diagnoses, we want to see a National Brain Tumour Strategy implemented that also helps arms GPs with better knowledge of the signs and symptoms of a brain tumour. As well as giving GPs the support to directly refer people with a suspected brain tumour for MRIs. 

 Linking up optician services 

The last event we wanted to highlight was a panel discussion about the linking up of optician services. The panel included the Minister of State for Care Stephen Kinnock, the Clinical Director of Specsavers and the Chair of Times Health Commission. 

There was a call for proper pathways and locally commissioned services so that there are links into optometry for patients. This is something we’ve called for since the release of our Fighting for Faster Diagnosis report in March 2023. And have called for again as part of a National Brain Tumour Strategy. 

Often people experiencing common brain tumour symptoms – most notably, vision problems and headaches – either make an appointment with an optometrist first or are asked to visit a high street optician by their GP. However, because there is no dedicated pathway, the individual is responsible for booking their appointment. They also need to know which tests and scans to ask for because only certain ones can detect indicators of a brain tumour such as Papilledema. The other issue is that tests aren’t free for everyone in the UK. In fact, some of the additional scans and tests that can detect possible brain tumours in the opticians cost even more on top of the regular sight test. This adds another barrier for those who may not be able to afford to request these. 

The brain tumour community could greatly benefit from the development of a recommended optometry pathway for people with a suspected brain tumour. It would make it easier for GPs to work with optometrists to rule out or confirm a brain tumour and where appropriate refer the patient for more tests. It would also remove the barrier of having to pay for an eye test for somebody with a suspected brain tumour.