Biography
Tim Farron has engaged extensively on health and social care through 40 debate speeches, with particular emphasis on cancer radiotherapy access—repeatedly highlighting that only 29% of patients in Lancashire and South Cumbria receive radiotherapy compared to the 53% OECD average, and advocating for a satellite unit in Kendal. He has raised multiple concerns about rural healthcare inequities, including ADHD and autism support gaps in south Cumbria's mental health services, speech and language therapy provision affected by council budget cuts, and pressures on unpaid carers in his rural constituency. He also contributed significantly to the assisted dying debate, raising concerns about coercive control, and highlighted specific cases such as his constituent Phil's experience accessing immunotherapy for glioblastoma.
Generated from their own Hansard record, below
“Coercive control is by definition insidious, and we do not find out about it until years later—the victim themselves might not even be aware of it until years later. With assisted dying, a victim of coercive control would have no “years later”, would they?”
Record by topic
- Cancer14th of 62269.0
- Mental health76th of 88045.0
- Learning disability & autism159th of 89924.0
- Assisted dying48th of 37118.0
- Palliative & end of life care105th of 56815.0
- NHS waiting lists101st of 53412.0
- Adult social care & reform61st of 3769.0
- A&E & ambulance response55th of 2586.0
- Elderly care & frailty76th of 2363.0
- GP access93rd of 2413.0
- Unpaid carers158th of 2833.0
- Children's health56th of 1573.0
- Maternity & neonatal238th of 4383.0
What they’ve said
“…Gentleman for the excellent points he is making. Let me add that in Lancashire and south Cumbria, only 29% of cancer patients get access to radiotherapy. He will be aware the Government’s target is that 85% of people diagnosed with cancer should be treated within 62 days, but only 41% of patients who are recommended ra…”
Health Bill · 2026-09-08 · Read on Hansard ↗
“…Phil’s experience is typical for brain cancer patients, represented by everyone here and beyond: limited treatment options, barriers to clinical trials and being forced to fight your own corner to get anywhere at all.”
Brain Cancer · 2026-06-15 · Read on Hansard ↗
“…Would the Minister be willing to meet me and the Farmer Network as we seek to deliver mental health answers for people struggling? Some 25% of farmers are below the poverty line, often isolated and dealing with transition at times of enormous stress and anxiety with nowhere to turn.”
Men’s Mental Health Care: North-west England · 2026-06-09 · Read on Hansard ↗
“…May I bring him back to the issue of cancer treatment? According to OECD figures, 53% of cancer patients should receive radiotherapy as their primary treatment. In the UK, the figure is only 35%. In Cumbria and Lancashire, it is only 29%.”
Health Bill · 2026-06-01 · Read on Hansard ↗
“…On top of that, we are served admirably by the North West air ambulance service and the Great North air ambulance service, which I was delighted to run my first London marathon for five years ago. It provides a wonderful service, and does so with the support of volunteers.”
Mountain Rescue · 2026-04-22 · Read on Hansard ↗
Contributions reproduced under the Open Parliament Licence.