The NHS in England has failed to meet all three of its key cancer waiting time targets, prompting charities to call on the Labour Government to take urgent action over delays affecting thousands of patients.
Figures released for September show that only 76.2 per cent of patients urgently referred with suspected cancer received a diagnosis or had the disease ruled out within 28 days.
The figure represents a decline from 78.6 per cent recorded in August and remains below the Government’s target of 80 per cent by March 2029.
More than 71,500 suspected cancer cases took longer than four weeks to reach an outcome during September, according to the latest NHS data.
Cancer Patients Risk Missing Vital Treatment
Analysis by Cancer Research UK (CRUK) found that only 55 per cent of patients who were eventually diagnosed with cancer received confirmation within the NHS’s 28-day target.
The charity warned that delays in confirming a diagnosis could also postpone access to potentially life-saving treatment.
Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said the figures highlighted the difficulties faced by people waiting to discover whether they have cancer.
She said: “Waiting to find out whether you have cancer or not can be agonising.”
Mitchell added that patients who ultimately receive a cancer diagnosis are not being informed quickly enough, creating additional emotional pressure and potentially delaying the start of essential treatment.
She called on the Government to take immediate steps to improve cancer waiting times in England, including ensuring the NHS receives sufficient investment in staffing and resources.
Blood and Other Cancer Patients Face Longer Waiting Times
The September figures also revealed significant differences in diagnosis waiting times across various cancer types.
Patients referred with suspected blood cancers experienced some of the poorest results, with only 61 per cent receiving a diagnosis or having cancer ruled out within 28 days.
Performance was also below the national target for several other cancer categories.
Only 64.6 per cent of patients referred with suspected lower gastrointestinal cancers received an outcome within the four-week period.
The figure stood at 65.6 per cent for urological cancers and 67.1 per cent for gynaecological cancers.
Meanwhile, testicular cancer was the only cancer type to exceed the 28-day target among patients who were ultimately diagnosed, with 84.3 per cent receiving confirmation within the timeframe over the past year, according to Cancer Research UK.
NHS Also Misses Targets for Starting Cancer Treatment
The latest figures showed that patients are also experiencing delays after receiving a decision to begin treatment.
Only 91.5 per cent of cancer patients started treatment within 31 days of a decision to treat, falling short of the NHS target of 96 per cent by 2029.
The health service also failed to meet its target for starting treatment within 62 days of an urgent referral for suspected cancer.
Just 70.7 per cent of patients began their first treatment within that period, compared with the long-term target of 85 per cent.
The figures highlight continuing difficulties in meeting the NHS’s diagnosis and treatment standards.
Macmillan Cancer Support Calls for Improvements
Macmillan Cancer Support also expressed disappointment over the number of patients continuing to experience lengthy waits for diagnosis and treatment.
Chris Ransom, the charity’s head of services, said delays were affecting people whose lives were already being disrupted by the possibility of a cancer diagnosis.
He said: “Behind every long wait or delay is a person whose life could be on hold.”
Ransom added that it was disappointing that so many patients were still waiting longer than expected to receive a diagnosis or begin treatment.
Government Points to Improvements in Cancer Waiting Times
Responding to the figures, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said cancer waiting time performance had improved compared with the previous year.
The spokesperson said all three cancer standards were performing better than they were 12 months earlier.
According to the department, approximately 290,000 more people received a timely diagnosis or had cancer ruled out over the past year compared with the year before Labour entered government.
However, the department acknowledged that further improvements were necessary.
The spokesperson said the Government’s proposed National Cancer Plan would focus on helping more patients receive earlier diagnoses and begin treatment sooner.
The plan is intended to improve patients’ chances of recovery and survival by reducing delays across cancer diagnosis and treatment services.
