65,000 a month hit by delays in cancer diagnosis

CANCER targets for diagnosis waiting times have not been met since they were introduced, with more than 65,000 people now left waiting too long every month, a leading charity has warned.

A new target was introduced in England last autumn, for 75 per cent of all those with an urgent referral to receive either a diagnosis or the all-clear within 28 days.

However, 65,400 people are waiting too long every month, analysis by Cancer Research suggests, with a large postcode lottery at play as nearly half of all hospital trusts fail to meet the standard.

People and patients are being “failed by the system”, which lacks the capacity to deal with the large numbers needing to be seen, Cancer Research UK said.

Chief executive Michelle Mitchell said: “As a country, we should not be willing to accept that over one in four people on an urgent referral are left waiting over a month to find out whether they have cancer.”

The charity said that the target was also set too low due to chronic shortages of specialists.

Experts say the Government must be ambitious in its upcoming 10-year cancer plan if it wants to improve diagnosis and survival, raising targets to 95 per cent.

Ms Mitchell added: “The Government must take this opportunity to deliver for the millions of people affected by cancer. With ambitious targets, a credible plan to reach them and clear accountability, we can get there.”

Meeting targets set at around 95 per cent would see around 54,300 more people each month receive a diagnosis or having cancer ruled out within 28 days, Cancer Research UK said.

Early diagnosis of cancer allows treatment to start quicker and is more likely to be success

ful, but England lags behind comparable countries.

Prof Charles Swanton, Cancer Research UK’s chief clinician, said it was crucial that more people receive an “all-important” timely diagnosis.

“With a robust plan and sustained investment to build a cancer workforce fit for the future, we could diagnose people quicker and earlier, and save more lives,” he said.

An NHS England spokesperson said: “Record numbers of people have received lifesaving cancer checks in the last year as we continue to recover from the impact of the pandemic, and while it won’t happen overnight, the NHS is investing billions in extra diagnostic and treatment capacity – with staff working hard to roll out initiatives from lungscanning trucks to cancer symptom hotlines, so that patients are seen quickly and their cancer can be caught earlier.”