How long are cancer treatment waits in YOUR area? With just half of cases are being
England’s stark cancer treatment wait divide was today laid bare in a dossier of interactive data.
Figures show how less than half of patients in parts of Essex who were referred for urgent treatment on the NHS in July, were seen within 62-days.
By comparison, the figure stands at over 80 per cent in Cornwall—still far below NHS England’s goal of treating 85 per cent of cancer patients within this crucial time-frame.
Fast access to cancer care not only reduces the chance of the disease spreading to other areas of the body, it can also mean a patient doesn’t need as extensive, and expensive, treatments like chemotherapy or radiotherapy for as long.
It comes as fresh analysis by Cancer Research UK today also found that just half of patients receive a cancer diagnosis within the target time frame.
The health service aims to diagnose or rule out cancer for 75 per cent of people within 28 days of an urgent referral, known as the faster diagnostic standard (FDS).
But the charity discovered that between October 2021 and June 2024, 53.8 per cent of people who had cancer were diagnosed within 28 days compared with 71.7 per cent for those who had cancer ruled out.
Experts today labelled the findings ‘unacceptable’ and urged the Government to ensure it hits all cancer wait time targets by the end of Parliament.
According to the fresh NHS figures for July, there was a slight improvement nationally with a record 236,263 patients receiving a diagnosis or having cancer ruled out within 28 days in July.
This, however, was the only one of the three national cancer targets met.
Nationally, just 92.4 per cent of patients started treatment within 31 days of being booked in June, below the goal of 96 per cent.
And just 69.2 per cent of newly-diagnosed cancer patients referred for urgent treatment were seen within two months—below the 85 per cent target.
But in NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB), for example, just 49.4 per cent of patients began treatment within 62 days.
Similarly low figures were seen in NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB (55.2 per cent) and NHS South East London ICB and NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB who both recorded 55.2 per cent respectively.
By contrast, NHS Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly ICB took top spot, with 80.7 per cent of patients referred for urgent treatment, seen within two months.
NHS Surrey Heartlands ICB and NHS Gloucestershire, meanwhile, reported figures of 79 and 78 per cent respectively.
It comes as the separate Cancer Research UK report today found just half of people with cancer are diagnosed on time following an urgent NHS referral, with some cancers worse off than others.
In the last three months of 2021, 57.3 per cent of diagnoses were given within 28 days, but this fell to 52.3 per cent by the middle of 2024.
Just 29 per cent of patients with urological cancers, such as prostate and kidney cancer, were diagnosed within 28 days.
Over half (54.6 per cent) of these patients waited more than 42 days for a diagnosis.
Only 31.4 per cent of patients with sarcomas—cancers in soft tissue such as muscle and fat—and 34.6 per cent of those with head and neck cancers were diagnosed within the time frame.
Around six per cent of all urgent suspected cancer referrals result in a cancer diagnosis.
Michelle Mitchell, CRUK’s chief executive, said: ‘Waiting for a cancer diagnosis can make every single day feel like for ever. It’s promising that more people are having cancer ruled out on time, helping to put their minds at ease.
‘However, it’s unacceptable that only half of people who have cancer are being diagnosed within the target time frame. The UK Government needs to act.
Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting said: ‘Our National Cancer Plan will set out how we will put the NHS back at the forefront of global cancer care’
‘Its upcoming national cancer plan for England must include a new commitment to diagnose cancers earlier, and a pledge to meet all cancer wait time targets by the end of this Parliament, including the increased faster diagnostic standard target.
‘This will require investment in specialist staff and equipment, coupled with reform. Without these actions, things could continue to get worse instead of better.’
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: ‘Cancer care is our urgent priority as we turn around our NHS after more than a decade of neglect, and we are committed to reducing diagnosis times for all cancers.
‘Our Plan for Change is already making an impact, with 148,000 more people having cancer diagnosed or ruled out within 28 days from July 2024 to June 2025 compared to a year earlier.
‘We know there is more to do and we are shining a light on disparities that have gripped our health service for too long.
‘The National Cancer Plan will set out how we will put the NHS back at the forefront of global cancer care, as we continue to harness the very latest innovations, to give patients the most cutting-edge care.’
Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting, also said: ‘Earlier this week, I set out our vision for a more transparent NHS by publishing new league tables.
‘Today we are continuing on that path with newly published cancer diagnosis data.
‘It is only by shining a light on unacceptable disparities that we can tackle the postcode lottery of care.
‘Our National Cancer Plan will set out how we will put the NHS back at the forefront of global cancer care.’