Number of cancer patients waiting over 104 days for treatment triples in five years
The proportion of cancer patients waiting more than 104 days to start treatment after an urgent referral has nearly tripled, new research has found.
Analysis of NHS data by Cancer Research UK has revealed that the proportion of long waits to start cancer treatment had risen from 4.1 per cent in 2017-18 to 11.6 per cent in the first half of 2022-23, which is the latest available data.
The NHS target for 85 per cent of patients diagnosed with cancer after an urgent referral to begin treatment within 62 days has not been met since 2015.
NHS policy states that anyone waiting more than 104 days should have their case reviewed to ensure there is no avoidable cause to the delay, which is why this data can be analysed.
Cancer Research UK said it equated to more than 20,000 people waiting over 104 days to begin cancer treatment in 2022. This compared with just 6,300 in 2017.
The NHS is seeing more patients with suspected cancer than ever before, though, with record numbers of urgent referrals being made to rule out or diagnose cancer.
So far this year, almost 10,000 patients have been waiting longer than 104 days to start treatment, Cancer Research UK said.
The charity’s report found that more than half of the longest waiters had lower gastrointestinal cancers, such as bowel and anal, and urological cancers, such as prostate and kidney.
It said this was likely because of shortages of specific diagnostic equipment and the complexity of decision-making and treatment planning required.
Breast and skin cancer patients were the least likely to experience long waits.
Delays in diagnosis
Older patients aged between 60 and 69 were the most likely age group to be waiting more than 104 days to start treatment, while those living in the most deprived areas or with at least one other chronic health condition also had a greater chance of a long wait.
It found that delays in getting a diagnosis was the biggest issue.
Just 12 per cent of these patients received a diagnosis within the target 28 days after being urgently referred by their doctor.
Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said the figures were “concerning” as she called on the Government to “turn things around with a cancer strategy”.
She said: “It’s positive that more patients are being treated than ever, and people are finding out if they have cancer or not faster.
‘Long-term cancer strategy’
“However, too many patients are still waiting too long to begin cancer treatment, and this report highlights how far there still is to go.
“The newly elected Labour Government has a huge opportunity to turn things around.
“A long-term cancer strategy is needed to deliver on their commitment to bring cancer waiting times down, by providing our NHS with the equipment and staff it desperately needs to diagnose and treat patients on time.”
A breakdown of the cause of delays in 2022 found that half were down to a lack of capacity of either staff or equipment, while a quarter were because of a medical reason such as patients needing several or complex tests, or being too unwell to undertake them.
Just 6 per cent of 104-plus day waits were “patient-initiated” through cancelled or rescheduled appointments.
‘NHS won’t be prepared to cope’
Dr John Butler, an ovarian cancer surgeon and clinical adviser for Cancer Research UK, said: “Every day, cancer surgeons across the UK are seeing patients who have had to wait longer than they should to be diagnosed and treated. The NHS is treating more patients than ever before, which is fantastic, but we want to be doing more – and capacity is what’s stopping us.
“Our health service’s ability to diagnose and treat cancer patients is limited and the resources and staffing have simply not increased to meet the need.
“This problem with capacity – not having enough beds, equipment or staff – started before the pandemic, and it could get worse. The UK’s ageing and growing population means that by 2040, there could be around half a million new cancer cases diagnosed every year. Unless we urgently start planning for this, the NHS won’t be prepared to cope.”
An NHS England spokesman said: “While we know there is more to do to bring down unacceptably long waits for patients, staff are working hard to see and treat more people with cancer than ever before, delivering over 55,000 cancer treatments in May – with more than nine in ten happening within one month and more people seen after a GP referral than any other month on record.
“The NHS also met the 28-day cancer faster diagnosis target in May with more than three quarters of people receiving a definitive diagnosis or all clear within four weeks – and while this is encouraging, we recognise more work is needed to tackle the challenges faced by cancer services and ensure all patients receive high-quality and timely care.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “Too many cancer patients are waiting too long for treatment. We are determined to change that.
That’s why our mission to get the NHS back on its feet includes taking measures such as doubling the number of MRI and CT scanners to help speed up diagnosis and treatment. Alongside this, we have commissioned an independent investigation, led by Prof Lord Darzi, into the extent of the issues the NHS faces.”