Cancer treatment targets missed for 29th month in a row

Recently released figures have shown that only 81 per cent of patients in England are commencing cancer treatment within the target of two months of being urgently referred by their GP, meaning the target of 85 per cent of patients starting treatment within 62 days was breached for the 29th month in a row.

The target was first breached in January 2014 and since then, around 107,000 patients have waited for more than two months to start their treatment.

Macmillan Cancer Support’s director of Policy, Moira Fraser, said “Yet again, we are frustrated to hear that cancer waiting time targets fro starting treatment after an urgent referral have not been met.

“If you have just been urgently referred by your GP for suspected cancer, the very last thing you need is a long wait for treatment if cancer is diagnosed.

“But this is the unfortunate reality that thousands of patients face today.

“Not only can a long wait to start treatment be incredibly stressful, there is also a possibility that your health will deteriorate in the meantime.”

NHS Improvement’s Dr Kathy McLean, said “Thousands of patients up and down the country are still waiting too long in A&E and for planned surgery.

“The new funding settlement is good news for the NHS, and we need to ensure that every new pound spent provides the maximum benefit to our patients.”

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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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