Welsh cabinet secretary for health and social care, Jeremy Miles, has set out some updates on how cancer care is being improved in Wales.

The National Cancer Leadership Board meets monthly. Previously chaired by the Deputy Chief Executive of NHS Wales, the board will now be led by the Deputy Chief Medical Officer.

The board has agreed terms of reference and a workplan, which covers delivery of the nationally-led actions in the NHS Cancer Improvement Plan and NHS Wales Performance and Improvement’s Cancer Recovery Programme.

It also covers the functions of NHS Wales Performance and Improvement’s Strategic Clinical Network for Cancer; the cancer actions arising from the Ministerial Advisory Group on NHS Performance and Productivity report and recommendations and the Tackling Cancer initiatives for both research and innovation.

The workplan will support NHS organisations to improve cancer performance by implementing the national optimal pathways and changing service models to improve productivity; developing datasets and digital services to improve service oversight and transparency for cancer services; and actions to improve patient experience.

Miles said: "The NHS is working incredibly hard to improve performance against this target, in the context of large increases in the number of investigations required, expanded eligibility for screening, and the availability of new and complex treatments.

"There are signs of improvements in many health boards and for many cancer types. From a low point of 51.9 per cent in January 2023, performance has stabilised and gradually improved to around 60 per cent.

"Health boards must do more to improve performance to reach the 75 per cent target for all cancers and reduce the variation we continue to see between cancer types. Improving diagnosis and treatment of cancer will help to improve outcomes for people."