Polly has asked the Prime Minister, during Prime Minister’s Questions, what he is doing to close health inequalities experienced by coastal communities like East Thanet.

She said:

“The Prime Minister will be aware that in coastal communities like mine in East Thanet people develop cancer earlier, get treated and diagnosed later, and die younger. Can he give the House an update on the plans for government to implement the recommendations by the Chief Medical Officer, Chris Whitty, into tackling poor health in our seaside towns?”

In response, the Prime Minister said:

“I thank her for raising this. She’s right that cancer patients are waiting too long for diagnosis and for treatment. Addressing healthcare inequity is part of our Ten Year Health Plan, aiming to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and the poorest regions. And we’re making progress on that already.”