Nearly 10% of suspected cancer patients in England are waiting more than two weeks for their first specialist appointment, according to new NHS data. In the 12 months to June, 130,553 people faced delays, up from 104,930 in the previous year. In June alone, 16,235 patients did not see a specialist within the 14-day target guaranteed by the NHS constitution.
Only 91.1% of the 182,348 urgent referrals were seen within two weeks, missing the 93% target. Almost two-thirds of hospitals failed to meet the 14-day standard, with a third missing it by at least 10 percentage points. Other cancer waiting time targets were also missed, in some cases by the widest margin yet recorded.
Macmillan Cancer Support warned that performance is “slipping”. Moira Fraser, the charity’s director of policy, said: “It mustn’t be forgotten that at the heart of these figures are thousands of cancer patients and their families having their lives put on hold for months on end as a result. This is unacceptable.”
NHS England attributed the delays to a drive for early detection, which has increased urgent GP referrals to nearly two million a year. Tim Gardner of the Health Foundation said capacity has not kept pace with demand, noting the NHS has missed the 62-day treatment target for four and a half years. The government has pledged to improve cancer care as part of the upcoming NHS 10-year plan.
