By Ravi Ruparel – Chair, EWNI Patient Steering Committee for Fight Bladder Cancer ravi@fightbladdercancer.co.uk
On January 15, 2025, I had the privilege of hosting a workshop to gather patient feedback on the NHS England 10-Year Health Plan, with a strong focus on the needs of bladder cancer patients. This was a crucial opportunity to ensure that our voices—those of patients, advocates, and professionals—are heard in shaping the future of healthcare.
The discussion touched on three major NHS proposals, the role of technology in healthcare, the shortage of nurses, and the urgent need for a national bladder cancer audit.
One thing became very clear: if we don’t speak up, change won’t happen.
🔹 What We Discussed
1️⃣ NHS’s 10-Year Health Plan & The Patient Voice
The NHS is looking at long-term changes, and one of the biggest takeaways from our workshop was the importance of representing lived patient experiences in shaping these decisions.
We discussed three key NHS proposals:
📌 Expanding the use of AI and technology in healthcare
📌 Shifting more care from hospitals to communities
📌 Promoting healthier lifestyles and prevention strategies
While this sounds promising, we raised some critical concerns about how they would impact bladder cancer patients, particularly in terms of early diagnosis, treatment accessibility, and continuity of care.
2️⃣ The Role of Technology & AI in Healthcare: Helpful or Harmful?
The conversation focused on the increasing role of technology in healthcare—a trend that the NHS wants to expand further.
🔹 Pros: AI could help with early detection, predicting treatment outcomes, and even making healthcare more cost-efficient.
🔹 Cons: AI can’t replace human judgment. Patients could fall through the cracks if algorithms miss key symptoms or if technology overcomplicates patient access to care.
One participant shared a frustrating experience with delayed referrals due to poor technology integration. Another raised concerns about over-reliance on AI, which could overlook patients who don’t fit the ‘standard’ profile.
There was consensus: technology is a tool, not a solution. The NHS must ensure that any tech implementation is patient-friendly, well-integrated, training provided and properly funded.
3️⃣ Moving More Care from Hospitals to Communities
One of the key NHS proposals is to shift more healthcare services from hospitals into the community.
🔹 Pros: Could make care more accessible, especially in rural areas
🔹 Concerns: Could lead to scattered care, poor record-keeping, and unequal access to specialist treatments
We discussed how this could impact bladder cancer patients, especially those undergoing intravesical treatments, follow-ups, or needing urgent specialist intervention. The group agreed that this shift needs careful planning to avoid making care more fragmented rather than more efficient.
4️⃣ The Bladder Cancer Audit Crisis: Why We Need Action Now
One of the most urgent issues raised was the lack of accurate recording and national audit for bladder cancer cases.
📉 Many bladder cancer cases aren’t being properly recorded as cancer at all
📊 Without data, we can’t measure or improve outcomes
⚠️ Other cancers have national audits—why doesn’t bladder cancer?
🚨 What we don’t measure, we can’t fix. This became a rallying cry during the discussion. We need a bladder cancer audit now.
This ties into another critical issue: bladder cancer research and screening. The Fight Bladder Cancer team will push for:
✅ Investment in research and a national audit
✅ Development of reliable urinary biomarkers for screening
✅ Raising awareness about environmental and occupational risk factors
🔹 Next Steps & Actions
📝 1. Submitting Feedback – I will compile and submit our patient feedback on the NHS proposals to the Department of Health and Social Care.
📩 2. More Input Needed – All participants have one week to email me any additional thoughts on the NHS proposals as we build out related campaigns.
🎙️ 3. Meeting with a Member of the House of Lords – I will raise concerns about the nursing shortage, healthcare workforce challenges, and the need for a bladder cancer audit.
📢 4. Raising Awareness –
🔹 Fight Bladder Cancer team to push for a national audit
🔹 Team to continue efforts on urinary biomarker evaluations
🔹 Team to raise awareness of environmental risks & occupational exposures
🔹 Final Thoughts: This Is Just the Beginning
This workshop wasn’t just about sharing thoughts—it was about driving action. We know that bladder cancer patients are too often overlooked, that technology must work for patients, not against them, and that data saves lives—which is why an audit is critical.
This is a turning point for the NHS. We need to make sure the patient voice is at the center of these changes.
If you have any additional insights, now is the time to speak up. Email us your thoughts.
🔹 Together, we can make change happen. 🔹
💡 What do you think? Should the NHS be doing more to support bladder cancer patients? Drop me a line to share your thoughts: ravi@fightbladdercancer.co.uk.