Macmillan Cancer Support responds to ‘harsh reality’ of waiting time figures published today

Originally published: 14 June 2018

Commenting on cancer waiting times for April 2018, published today by NHS England, Moira Fraser, Director of Policy at Macmillan Cancer Support, said:

“Today’s stats reflect the harsh reality of many patients forced to wait more than two months to start cancer treatment after an urgent referral from their GP.

“Continued breaches in performance must serve as proof that, for all the ambitious new plans the government may be looking to include in its future NHS Strategy, it also needs to meet existing operational targets as a matter of urgency.

“Despite the very best efforts of hardworking doctors and nurses, too many cancer patients are facing these avoidable delays.

“The government cannot possibly aspire to provide a world class service for people living with cancer if we don’t have all the basics right around referring people, diagnosing them promptly and starting prompt treatment. That is why it needs to back the health and care workforce so it can continue to grow in line with soaring demand.”

Factbox

  • The 62-day target was breached again in April 2018 — only 82.3% of patients in England started treatment within two months of being urgently referred by their GP with suspected cancer, against the target of 85%
  • The 62-day target has now been breached for 28 months in a row
  • Over half of NHS hospital trusts in England (54%) missed the 62-day target in April 2018, with 19 trusts — around one in 8 — missing it by 10 percentage points or more*
  • In the past 12 months, over 26,000 people waited more than two months for treatment to start after an urgent GP referral, including over 10,500 people who waited for more than three months**
  • Since the target was first breached in January 2014, around 105,000 people have waited more than two months for treatment to start.

*This refers to all provider trusts at which 5 or more patients started cancer treatment in April 2018, which amounts to 143 trusts in total.

**Refers to May 2017 — April 2018 inclusive.

-Ends-

Notes to editors

For further information, please contact:

Joe Williams, Media and Press Officer, Macmillan Cancer Support.

Phone: 020 7091 2453 Out of hours: 07801 307068.

About Macmillan Cancer Support

There are 2.5 million people living with cancer in the UK. One in two people are likely to get cancer in their lifetimes. Cancer can affect everything, including a person’s body, relationships and finances.

Macmillan Cancer Support provides practical, emotional and personal support to people affected by cancer every year. The charity is there to support people during treatment, help with work and money worries, and listen when people need to talk about their feelings.

Macmillan receives no government funding and relies on generous donations from the public. People up and down the country show their support for Macmillan — from hosting or attending a World’s Biggest Coffee Morning to running a marathon or giving up alcohol — so the charity can help more and more people affected by cancer every year.

Life with cancer is still your life and Macmillan is there to help you live it.

Macmillan press releases and statements

Stay up to date with the latest news and stories from the Macmillan Cancer Support Press Office.

Media & PR at Macmillan

Written by

We are the Media and Public Relations team at Macmillan Cancer Support. Get the latest news here: https://medium.com/macmillan-press-releases-and-statements

Macmillan press releases and statements

Stay up to date with the latest news and stories from the Macmillan Cancer Support Press Office.

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade