NHS England aims for 85% of cancer patients to start treatment after being diagnosed, but waiting time targets continue to be missed according to the latest figures.
Data published in April showed the figure was 81% – matching the month of January which was one of the worst recorded performances since records began in 2009. The figures also show that 57% of Trusts failed (86 out of 150) to meet the 85% target.
Emma Greenwood, Cancer Research UK’s head of policy, said: “These latest cancer waiting time figures are a stark reminder that many thousands of cancer patients have to wait longer than two months to start treatment. But this has not always been the case. Cancer Research UK’s new analysis shows that before 2014 waiting time targets were generally being hit and patients were swiftly diagnosed and treated. Now, it has been over two years since the NHS first began missing this target, and that is unacceptable. The health service urgently needs more resources to ensure patients get the tests they need as soon as possible. This must be a priority for the Government and the NHS.
“These targets exist to ensure quick diagnosis and access to cancer treatment, which is vital if we are to give patients the best chance of a cure and are serious about having survival rates to match the best in the world.”
