More than 1 in 3 cancer patients aren't seen quickly enough as Government faces 'stark warning'

An NHS logo
-Credit: (Image: Getty Images)


More than 300,000 people will face delays in cancer treatment by 2029, unless NHS performance improves.

That's according to national charity Cancer Research UK, which has found that in the first six months of 2024, just 65.9% of cancer patients began treatment within 62 days of an urgent referral. In the North East and North Cumbria, the figure is higher than the average - at 66.9%.

That means that in the first six months of 2024, just short of one in three people with an urgent cancer or suspected cancer referral waited more than 62 days for treatment. Worryingly, Cancer Research UK projects there will be 17.2 million urgent suspected cancer referrals in England over the next five years and, by 2029, there will be 20% more than seen this year.

The current NHS target is that 85% of cancer patients should be treated within the 62-day period - but this has not been met since 2015. Just for this year, that means 30,000 patients did not start treatment on time around the country.

Cancer Research UK said the NHS is seeing more patients than ever before, but an ageing and growing population means there are record numbers of cancer cases. It comes the week after a major report on the NHS from surgeon and former minister Lord Darzi said cancer care in England still lags behind other countries, and death rates are higher.

His study found there had been “no progress whatsoever” in diagnosing cancer at the earliest stages I and II between 2013 and 2021. However, more recent figures suggest some improvement.

Cancer Research UK said there is a need for a long-term cancer strategy if the Government is to meet its pledges on hitting treatment targets. Chief executive Michelle Mitchell, said: “Hardworking staff across the NHS are treating more patients in England than ever before, but this data provides a stark warning to the UK Government.

"Whilst it’s reassuring that more patients are being referred for cancer checks, our health service does not have the required resources to cope with record numbers of people being diagnosed with cancer. Unless action is taken, things could be even worse in five years’ time.

"The Health and Social Care Secretary’s pledge to meet cancer wait time targets by the end of this Parliament is encouraging, and we look forward to working with the UK Government to achieve this. But there’s no easy fix to this problem. We need to see long-term planning that provides the NHS with the equipment and staff it needs.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Lord Darzi’s independent investigation found that cancer is more likely to be a death sentence for NHS patients than patients in other countries. This is completely unacceptable and why we are taking action to turn the NHS around, so cancer patients are diagnosed and treated on time.

"As part of our 10-year plan to radically reform our broken NHS, we will fight cancer on all fronts – through prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and research – to give people the care they need."

An NHS England spokesperson said: “Thanks to the huge efforts of staff, the latest data shows that the NHS is checking more people than ever before for cancer with almost 290,000 referrals in just one month, more people than ever before are getting the all-clear or a definitive diagnosis within the four-week standard and more than nine in 10 people started their treatment within a month in July.”