Language Settings
Select Website Language

England Cancer Waits Worsen as 62-Days Treatment Target Slips

1 hour ago

NHS cancer treatment within 62 days fell to 71.2% in England as experts warn government targets set for 2027 and 2029 are now impossible to hit.

Alan, a 70-year-old lung cancer patient in England, was told he would have surgery within weeks after doctors found a nodule in June last year. He waited almost five months. By the time he reached the operating table, the disease had spread and the procedure had become far harder. Twice his scans were called off because the machines had failed, and for long stretches he heard nothing from the hospital about when the urgent operation would happen.

"I was so frustrated and angry and couldn't understand why they would leave me like that," Alan said. He is one of thousands of patients across England each month who begin treatment later than the health service's own deadline allows.

Earlier this year the government's National Cancer Plan, published alongside NHS Planning Guidance, promised that by March 2027 four in five patients would start treatment within 62 days of an urgent referral from their GP. That figure was set to climb to 85% by March 2029. Since the pledge was made, the numbers have moved in the wrong direction. The latest NHS England data shows 71.2% of patients now begin treatment inside the 62-day window, down from 71.9%.

Prof Pat Price, a senior UK clinical academic oncologist, said the deadlines "are now simply impossible to hit" following what she called a "complete loss of momentum". She blamed the decline on a "complete lack of a plan or accountability". The cancer plan committed to setting up a new independent cancer board, but the person who will lead it has still not been named.

Ten trusts out of 120 meet the standard

Figures released on Thursday, covering July, show that just 10 of England's 120 hospital trusts got 85% of patients into treatment within 62 days of a GP's urgent referral. Analysis by Radiotherapy UK, shared with the BBC, indicates that more than 2,800 additional patients would have to start treatment every month - an increase of almost 15% on current volumes - for the March 2027 goal to be reached. That gap is expected to widen as referrals climb across nearly every type of cancer. In total, roughly 54,000 more patients will need to begin treatment inside the 62-day limit before 2029 for the government to meet its ambition.

The delays carry a measurable cost. On average, a patient's chance of survival drops by about 10% for every month that passes before treatment begins. Price warned that thousands of people "are going to die unnecessarily, just because the government can't get their act together to treat people on time".

For Alan, the wait changed the shape of his illness. By the time he was operated on, the cancer had reached his lymph nodes and, according to his lung specialist, the nodule had grown at an alarming rate. He has since been told the disease has cleared and is now awaiting his one-year review. The surgery, however, has left him with lasting pain. "I used to play golf and get out and about. Now I can't do any of the things I love," he said.

Salisbury focuses on the basics

One trust making headway on its backlog is Salisbury, though it is still short of the targets. Staff there say there is no single solution. Instead they describe a steady effort to get the fundamentals right: making sure patients know about and attend their appointments, keeping IT systems running, hiring the right people, filling surgical lists and adding capacity where they can.

Much of the gain that patients can see has come in skin and prostate cancer, two of the most common forms of the disease in the country. Diane had a cancerous lump taken from her face at Salisbury District Hospital a few weeks ago, treated with a newer surgical approach.

The worsening figures leave the government's headline commitments under strain barely months after they were announced. With referrals rising, the volume of patients waiting beyond the deadline continues to build, and the body meant to drive improvement still lacks a leader.

England cancer waiting times, NHS 62 day target, National Cancer Plan, cancer treatment delays, Pat Price oncologist, NHS England cancer data, lung cancer surgery delay, Salisbury District Hospital

Click here to Read More
Previous Article
Petrol and Diesel Hit Highest UK Prices Since 2022
Next Article
Houthis Seize 130km of Yemen Coast, Widening Iran's Reach

Related Health Updates:

Are you sure? You want to delete this comment..! Remove Cancel

Comments (0)

    Leave a comment