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The Liberal Democrats are proposing a legal guarantee for cancer patients to receive treatment within two months of an urgent referral following an analysis of cancer treatment waiting times.
The analysis carried out by the political party found that nearly 16,000 patients have been waiting four months or longer to receive cancer treatment following an urgent referral over the last four years.
Official NHS targets state that at least 85% of patients should wait for less than two months for treatment following an GP urgent referral, NHS cancer screening, or consultant upgrade.
Twice as many cancer patients waiting for four months or more compared to 2020
Data from 69 out of 137 acute health trusts shows that in 2023 alone, more than 6,300 patients were waiting for four months or more for treatment, which has more than doubled since 2020 (2,922 patients).
Furthermore, more than 1,100 patients were waiting for more than six months, with a small number of patients waiting for over a year.
Indeed, one patient at Frimley NHS Foundation Trust waited for two years following an urgent referral, while two other patients from Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust and the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust waited upwards of 16 months.
Since data is only available from roughly half of the acute trusts in the country, the real figures are likely to be much higher.
Liberal Democrat Leader, Ed Davey MP said long delays for treatment are having a “devastating impact” on cancer patients and their families, and he is calling for a new law that will guarantee cancer patients are treated within 62 days.
“Cancer patients are being woefully let down by years of neglect under this Conservative government with targets being routinely missed,” said Mr Davey. “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.”
NHS leaders say healthcare staff are doing “all they can”
Rory Deighton, director of the NHS Confederation’s Acute Network, says while it “very worrying” that some patients are still waiting too long for treatment, healthcare staff are doing “all they can to recover cancer service performance”, and cancer checks have more than doubled in the last decade.
“While the pandemic led to thousands of cancer treatments being cancelled or delayed, a decade of underinvestment and recent workforce shortages have also created bottlenecks for cancer patients,” Mr Deighton said. “The roll out of rapid diagnostics has been very successful in diagnosing cancers quicker, but there is a risk that this creates more patients waiting for treatment than can currently be seen.”
“Our members also welcome public health measures to tackle smoking and obesity – including the proposed smoking ban – which will help reduce the prevalence of some of the most common cancers,” he added.