PATIENTS will get a cancer diagnosis or the all-clear within a month of being sent for tests by their GP, under new NHS targets.
But charities slammed the guidelines, saying they do not go far enough.
Currently, worried Brits should expect to see a hospital specialist within two weeks of an urgent referral from their family medic.
However, they can still wait much longer to find out whether they have the disease and need treatment.
The new plan will require 75 per cent of patients to be given a clear answer on their cancer status within 28 days.
Charities said the updated standard – known as the Faster Diagnosis Standard – should help catch more cases early.
But warn it has been watered down from when it was first proposed in 2015 with a requirement that 95 per cent of patients were given their results within a month.
Michelle Mitchell, boss at Cancer Research UK, said: “The new Faster Diagnosis Standard is a more meaningful target than the current two-week wait that will hopefully improve early diagnosis.
“If all trusts met the 75 per cent target, it would be an improvement to where we are now.
“However, in the long-term to improve cancer survival, we’d like to see a 95 per cent target originally proposed in the 2015 cancer strategy in Sajid Javid’s upcoming 10 year plan for cancer.
“We recognise the target was set lower because of a shortage of cancer specialists, critical to diagnosing cancer across the NHS.”
Baroness Delyth Morgan, Chief Executive at Breast Cancer Now, added: “We’re deeply concerned that NHS England has significantly lowered its ambition for rapid diagnosis by setting the target…at 75 per cent.
“We fear that for breast cancer, this new target could fail in its aim to ensure those referred are seen and diagnosed sooner.”
Under the proposals, patients who receive a cancer diagnosis will start treatment within nine weeks from being referred – similar to the current target of two months.
The NHS said the latest plan would help diagnose more cancers earlier and save more lives.
Health bosses said it was the right time to modernise standards.
Professor Peter Johnson, national clinical director for cancer for NHS England, said: “We know that people having tests for possible cancer want to know the results quickly, and updating the standards to reflect this will help us to make sure we are able to deliver the best possible care.
“We are encouraging colleagues in NHS cancer services to share their views on the consultation to ensure we have standards that are better for people with cancer.”
Health Secretary, Sajid Javid said: “These proposals will help us speed up diagnosis times and treatment, and save more lives.”
