Very long waits for NHS cancer treatment have tripled since 2017, Cancer Research UK warns. The charity found 12 per cent of patients did not start therapy for 104 days or more in 2022. NHS standards stipulate that at least 85 per cent should start treatment within 62 days of their first doctor’s referral. The latest figure was a rise from four per cent in 2017 and means more than 20,000 people faced the agonising delays. The risk of a long wait was higher for bowel, prostate and kidney cancer patients, CRUK said, but increased for all types. Chief executive Michelle Mitchell said: "NHS staff are doing their best, but these figures are concerning and too many patients are still waiting too long to begin cancer treatment." People in their 60s, those living in poorer areas and patients with other health conditions were more likely to face delay.
Nine in 10 delays not due to patient choice
Research into the delays found that almost half were due to a lack of NHS staff, equipment or clinic capacity. Patients needing complex tests or being too unwell to attend hospital were also issues. Only six per cent of the delays were due to patient choice. Nearly 400,000 Brits are diagnosed with cancer every year and diagnosing and treating the disease costs around £7 billion. Survival rates in the UK lag behind European neighbours and some countries’ patients were better off 20 years ago than ours are today. Slow diagnosis and treatment are blamed as a top reason because they allow tumours to grow and spread. Ms Mitchell added: "A long-term cancer strategy is needed to deliver on the government’s commitment to bring cancer waiting times down by providing our NHS with the equipment and staff it desperately needs to diagnose and treat patients on time."
