Key facts
- Cancer treatment wait times in England have worsened, with only 69.9% of patients starting treatment within 62 days of an urgent GP referral.
- This figure is down from 71.9% previously, falling short of the government's target of 80% by March 2027.
- Analysis suggests over 3,000 additional patients per month need treatment to meet the target.
- For every month a cancer patient waits, their chance of survival falls by approximately 10%.
- Salisbury District Hospital is making progress on its waiting list, particularly for skin and prostate cancers.
Cancer treatment wait times in England have worsened, with performance dropping to 69.9% of patients starting treatment within the target 62 days from an urgent GP referral, down from 71.9%. This decline occurs despite the government's National Cancer Plan, which aims for 80% of patients to begin treatment within this timeframe by March 2027, with a further target of 85% by March 2027.
Alan, a 70-year-old diagnosed with lung cancer, experienced a nearly five-month wait for surgery after his initial diagnosis in June last year. During this period, his cancer spread, complicating the procedure. He expressed frustration over the delays, which were partly due to cancelled scans because of broken equipment. His specialist noted the nodule had grown at an alarming rate by the time of his operation.
Experts warn that thousands of patients may die unnecessarily due to these delays. Prof Pat Price, a clinical academic oncologist, described the situation as a "complete loss of momentum" and a "complete lack of a plan or accountability," stating that government targets are now "simply impossible to hit." Analysis by Radiotherapy UK suggests that over 3,000 additional patients per month would need to start treatment to achieve the March 2027 target, a nearly 15% increase on current numbers, with referrals rising across most cancer types.
Salisbury District Hospital is cited as an example of a trust making some progress, particularly in skin and prostate cancer treatment. Staff there attribute improvements to focusing on basics like ensuring patient attendance, maintaining IT systems, recruiting staff, and expanding capacity. Innovative procedures, such as checking tumour margins during surgery, have also helped reduce the need for follow-up operations.
However, bottlenecks persist, particularly in pathology due to high specimen volumes and a need for more staff and equipment. Radiotherapy services also face challenges, with patients sometimes needing to travel long distances for daily sessions. Missed appointments, attributed to late letters, illness, or transport issues, further strain the system. Trusts experiencing the sharpest declines in performance cite rising demand, workforce shortages, and diagnostic issues as key pressures, with some also pointing to industrial action and staff sickness. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson acknowledged that "there is more to do" but expressed determination to improve cancer performance.