Cancer referral targets worst for three years

AROUND 70 per cent of NHS trusts are failing to hit the target times for seeing patients with suspected cancer.

Analysis of official data shows that the number of hospitals not meeting national requirements for referrals is the highest it has been for at least three years.

In England, the maximum waiting time for a hospital appointment for suspected cancer is two weeks from the day a referral letter is received from a GP.

Some 93 per cent of patients should be seen within this time frame, according to the NHS in England.

However, analysis, using data from August 2019 to August 2022, shows that this target is routinely not being met.

The 12-month rolling average for the number of trusts not hitting the mark currently stands at 84 out of 117 – the highest number over this period.

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust have never reached this target during the three years.

Naser Turabi, director of evidence and implementation at Cancer Research UK, said: “Any cancer waiting times target that is missed is unacceptable.

“However, this target should be a minimum standard.The fact that it is now not being met just goes to show how strained our health service has become.”

The best performing trusts are Calderdale & Huddersfield, East Kent Hospitals University and Portsmouth Hospitals University.

All three have routinely hit their operational standard of 93 per cent, not once failing to do so.

Medway Trust has consistently met its target since May 2020, while BirminghamWomen’s & Children’s Trust has hit it every month since August 2020.