Number of cancer patients waiting four months for treatment double in four years, figures reveal

The number of cancer patients waiting at least four months to start cancer treatment has doubled in four years, NHS figures show.

Data collected by the Liberal Democrats shows almost 16,000 patients suffered such delays since 2020.

The figures show that last year, 6,300 patients faced such waits - a more than doubling from 2,922 patients in 2020.

One patient waited over two years to start cancer treatment after being urgently referred, according to the NHS data.

More than 1,100 cancer patients last year were left waiting more than 6 months to receive treatment, triple the NHS target time.

‘Woefully let down’

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said patients and staff are being “woefully let down”.

NHS targets say patients to receive cancer treatments within two months of an urgent referral.

Data was received from 69 out of 137 acute health trusts in the UK, meaning the true number is likely to be much higher.

The FOI disclosures say one patient at the Frimley NHS Foundation Trust only received treatment over two years (811 days) after first being urgently referred.

Another patient at the Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust waited 505 days to receive treatment, its disclosure states, while a case at the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust waited 496 days, according to its record.

The Liberal Democrats are proposing a two month legal guarantee for cancer patients from the date they receive an urgent referral as part of the party’s five year cancer plan.

‘Devastating impact’

Liberal Democrat Leader, Ed Davey MP said: “Every single one of these figures is a tragedy. Long delays for treatment can have a devastating impact on cancer patients and their families, and in certain cases can even cost lives.

“Cancer patients are being woefully let down by years of neglect under this Conservative government with targets being routinely missed.

“The Liberal Democrats have outlined an ambitious plan to tackle delays and boost cancer survival rates. This includes a new legal guarantee for cancer patients to receive treatment within two months of an urgent referral.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “The NHS has seen and treated record numbers of cancer patients over the past two years, with survival rates improving across almost all types of cancer – and it is making real progress in reducing long waiting times for cancer diagnosis, with latest data showing that over 78 per cent of patients waited less than 28 days for their diagnosis in February.

“We have invested £2.3 billion into Community Diagnostic Centres across England which are speeding up diagnosis for cancer, with checks and scans being delivered at 160 sites across England, helping us achieve our goal of catching 75 per cent of all cancers at stage 1 or 2 by 2028. Cancer is also one of six major conditions included in our upcoming Major Conditions Strategy.”

Staff shortages

It follows warnings that emergency patients scanned in A&E departments are waiting more than a month for results, amid staff shortages.

NHS data shows more than 700,000 patients undergoing X-rays, MRI, CT and other diagnostic tests last year did not get their results for at least 28 days.

The figures for England show almost 10,000 of the delays involved patients who underwent scans after being treated in A&E departments.

The diagnostic tests are ordered to investigate millions of health concerns every year, including symptoms which could mean cancer.

The President of the Royal College of Radiologists said the findings, from provisional official NHS data, were “concerning” and showed patients being put at risk.