Wait to see cancer specialist at worst level

Charities warn of a ‘worsening catastrophe’ after fall in patients seeing specialist within two weeks

The proportion of patients seeing a cancer specialist within two weeks following a referral is now the worst on record, figures show. Some 251,977 patients were urgently referred from their GP in September to see a consultant, but just 72.6 per cent were seen on time. This was down from 75.6 per cent in August and the lowest figure since records began in October 2009. In England, patients referred should be seen by a specialist within two weeks.

‘There is a real and frightening possibility that the Government has no plans to invest’

‘Every four weeks of delay in starting cancer treatment can reduce survival by 10 per cent’

THE proportion of patients seeing a cancer specialist within two weeks following a referral is now the worst on record, figures show.

Some 251,977 patients were urgently referred from their GP in September to see a consultant, but just 72.6 per cent were seen on time. This was down from 75.6 per cent in August and the lowest figure since records began in October 2009.

In England, patients referred should be seen by a specialist within two weeks.

Some 67.2 per cent of patients urgently referred for suspected cancer were diagnosed or had cancer ruled out within 28 days, down from 69.5 per cent the previous month.

Under NHS England elective recovery plans, 75 per cent of patients who have been urgently referred by their GP for suspected cancer should be diagers nosed or have cancer ruled out within 28 days by March 2024.

It comes as the number of people in England waiting to start routine hospital treatment has, once again, risen to a record high of 7.07 million.

This is up from 7.0 million in August and is the highest number since records began in August 2007.

The latest data show a “worsening cancer catastrophe”, charities warned last night, with more than 17,000 patients waiting longer than the 62-day target after an urgent GP referral for their first treatment.

Prof Pat Price, oncologist and cofounder of Catchupwithcancer, said: “These are the worst figures on record. And now, there is a real and frightening possibility that the Government has no plans to invest in treatment capacity, like radiotherapy, needed to catch up.

“Every four weeks of delay in starting cancer treatment can reduce survival by 10 per cent.”

Separate analysis from the BBC found the number of patients across the UK waiting more than the 62-day target in the past year has surpassed 67,000, double the same period in 2017-18.

The NHS figures also show ambulance response times for the most lifethreatening conditions are the worst on record after doctors warned that pressures on the NHS were now “unsustainable”.

The average response time in October for ambulances in England dealing with the most urgent incidents, including heart attacks, was nine minutes and 56 seconds.

This was up from nine minutes 19 seconds in September and up more than a quarter (27 per cent) compared with the same month in 2019. It is also the worst on record dating back to its current form in 2017.