Warnings Over Cancer Treatment Delays

Cancer patient's lives are being put at risk by the longest delays in treatment since records began in 2009, leading charities have warned.

Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support said the Government must take urgent action to reverse the trend.

The latest statistics from NHS England show almost half of all NHS trusts in England are failing to meet the target of starting treatment within two months of diagnosis.

At least 85% of patients should start treatment within a maximum of 62 days, but in the first three months of 2015 just 82.3% actually did so.

It's the fifth quarter in a row the target has been missed.

Sara Hiom, the charity's director of early diagnosis, said rapid treatment was "vital" for improving survival.

She said: "Patients want confidence that suspected cancer is taken seriously and prioritised by the NHS.

"These breaches have become a trend and they are worsening.

"This why urgent action must be taken to support the NHS to ensure it has the resources it needs to meet this challenge."

The figures show treatment delays were worst for patients with gastro-intestinal cancer (such as bowel cancer), with just 72% starting treatment within two months.

Survival rates from bowel cancer are poor, largely because of delays in diagnosis and treatment.

Macmillan Cancer Support said the deterioration in treatment times was "unacceptable", warning more than 5,000 patients waited too long for treatment in the last quarter alone.

Sean Duffy, NHS England’s National Clinical Director for Cancer, said: "The NHS is helping more people survive cancer than ever before.

"Swift diagnosis is key, and our latest annual figures show that over 1.5 million people were urgently referred to a specialist by their GP. That’s over 70% more than five years ago.

"But it’s crucial we focus on maintaining waiting time standards for treatment as demand increases and we are working hard to pinpoint any issues on the ground."