Two-month waits for urgent cancer treatment doubled since pandemic
RECORD numbers of cancer patients are facing waits of more than two months to start treatment, despite an urgent referral, an investigation reveals.
Data tracking in England since the start of the pandemic shows a doubling in the numbers facing such waits, despite a confirmed diagnosis.
Charities said the findings were “deeply concerning,” leaving too many people in an “unbearable situation”.
The NHS statistics show that in August, more than 4,200 cancer patients had not started treatment, despite a wait of more than two months since urgent GP referrals.
The figure is more than twice the 1,958 figure in February 2020, and only covers patients who had a confirmed diagnosis of cancer.
The weekly statistics show continued growth in serious backlogs, despite repeated pledges. In the last year alone, the figure has risen almost 50 per cent.
Minesh Patel, head of policy at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “We are more than two years on from the pandemic and the backlog of people waiting for cancer care in England continues to grow.
“These delays are having a devastating effect on people left waiting for months for news about their diagnosis, test results or for their treatment to start. It can be truly unbearable.”
Mr Patel added: “Looming winter pressures threaten to worsen an already impossible situation for both healthcare professionals and patients.
“The Government must urgently intervene to ensure people receive the care they desperately need before it’s too late. This includes guaranteeing that cancer budgets will be not be hit and providing the funding that overstretched services need now.”
NHS data released last week showed 38,000 fewer patients received a cancer diagnosis in England during 2020 – a 12 per cent drop on the previous year.
Analysis suggests that at least 22,000 fewer patients have undergone cancer treatment than would have been expected since the start of the pandemic, raising concern that delays will worsen Britain’s already poor record for survival.
NHS cancer targets say urgent referrals should start treatment within two months. But the target has been continuously missed for more than six years.
The UK was already languishing at the bottom of international cancer league tables before the pandemic. In 2019, it had the lowest survival rates for five in seven common cancers.
The NHS is rolling out a network of 160 community diagnostic centres, or “one-stop shops” as part of efforts to speed up diagnosis and treatment.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “The NHS is rapidly expanding diagnostic treatment capacity, with priority given to cancer, and has written to Trusts with the longest backlogs asking them to urgently set out plans to cut cancer waits – while helping them redesign their care to meet increased demand.”