Macmillan responds to May’s cancer waiting times
Originally published: 12 July 2018
Commenting on cancer waiting times for May 2018, published today by NHS England, Moira Fraser, Director of Policy at Macmillan Cancer Support, says:
“Yet again, we are frustrated to hear that cancer waiting time targets for 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.
“Doctors and nurses are working extremely hard in the face of unprecedented demand, but these figures show that there is much room for improvement in cancer care despite professionals’ best efforts.
“We sincerely hope that the new Health Secretary will prioritise using the additional NHS funding to address the issues surrounding cancer waiting times — and that he does so urgently.”
Factbox
- The 62-day target was breached again in May 2018 — only 81% of patients in England started treatment within two months of being urgently referred by their GP with suspected cancer, against the target of 85%
- The 62-day target has now been breached for 29 months in a row
- Over half of NHS hospital trusts in England (58%) missed the 62-day target in May 2018, with 24 trusts — around one in 6 — missing it by 10 percentage points or more.*
- In the past 12 months, over 26,000 people waited more than two months for treatment to start after an urgent GP referral, including over 10,500 people who waited for more than three months**
- Since the target was first breached in January 2014, around 107,000 people have waited more than two months for treatment to start.
*This refers to all provider trusts at which 5 or more patients started cancer treatment in May 2018, which amounts to 143 trusts in total.
**Refers to June 2017 — May 2018 inclusive.
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For further information, please contact
Lyndsey White, Media & PR Officer, Macmillan Cancer Support.
020 7840 4870 (out of hours 07801 307068).
About Macmillan Cancer Support
Being told ‘you have cancer’ can affect so much more than your health — it can also affect your family, your job, even your ability to pay the bills. But you’re still you. We get that. And, after over 100 years of helping people through cancer, we get what’s most important: that you’re treated as a person, not just a patient.
It’s why we’ll take the time to understand you and all that matters to you, so we can help you get the support you need to take care of your health, protect your personal relationships and deal with money and work worries.
We’re here to help you find your best way through from the moment of diagnosis, so you’re able to live life as fully as you can. For information, support or just someone to talk to, call 0808 808 00 00 or visit macmillan.org.uk.
