'An amazing facility' - Boris Johnson heaps praise on Carlisle's new Cancer Centre

The centre – the result of years of work by health chiefs at Newcastle Hospitals and North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, which runs The Cumberland Infirmary – has been treating patients since August of last year.

Speaking to the News & Star at the hospital, Mr Johnson spoke in glowing terms about the cancer care being offered at the centre.

“This is my first chance to see the Northern Centre for Cancer," he said.

“It’s an amazing facility. I’m here to thank people for they’re doing to help the country – particularly Cumbria, working with Newcastle as well – to help people bounce back from Covid because everybody knows somebody who didn’t get the treatment they needed during the pandemic.

“Everybody knows somebody who didn’t get a screen or a scan at right time. We’ve got to catch up.

Boris Johnson visits the Northern Centre for Cancer Care North Cumbria. Picture: Andrew Parsons/No 10 Downing Street

"The waiting lists are too high. I’m afraid they'll get higher because more people are likely to come forward.

“That’s just a fact.

“But we have to deal with it; we have to put the investment in. We’ve got 10,000 more nurses this year than last year but we need many more. We’re recruiting them as fast as we can; and we’ve got more oncologists; we’ve got more radiographers.

“But the demand is huge.

“UK cancer treatments are getting absolutely amazing. What they can do here is incredible. But it requires a lot of support and a lot of investment; and that’s why we’re putting that in.”

The PM went on to speak with enthusiasm about his 'levelling-up' vision for the UK, saying: "My view is that there's talent, there's energy, there's enthusiasm and there's genius everywhere in the UK - but the state needs to unlock it a bit and let the private sector come in and that's what we're doing."

Suzanne Stanley, who manages the centre, said the Prime Minister spent time this afernoon talking to staff and patients at the centre, which treats around 2,500 cancer patients per year, offering chemotherapy, radiotherapy and other treatments.

“He came across really well,” she said.

“The Prime Minister took time to speak to speak to staff and patients and he’s been able to hear from them what this centre means to them. He was very impressed with what he’s seen.

"We know he’s got a lot of his plate just now. But that hasn’t stopped him getting out there and seeing what’s happening in the real world.”

Mr Johnson spoke to local journalists - including from the News & Star - before leaving to have a transatlantic phone call with US President Joe Biden about the continuing crisis on the border between Ukraine and Russia.

Read more in tomorrow's News & Star.