Give people the gift of time: Leading cancer charity piles pressure on Governments across the UK to act now on cancer delays

• Latest research from the charity shows that cancer waiting times remained unacceptably high across the UK in the first half of 2023.
• Healthcare systems are unable to cope with demand despite the best efforts of exhausted staff.
• But it doesn’t have to be this way; Macmillan is calling on governments across the UK to take cancer seriously and improve outcomes for people living with cancer giving them more time with loved ones and their families.

Today, Macmillan Cancer Support is publishing new analysis that shows tens of thousands of people living with cancer could have precious extra months with loved ones if cancer waiting times targets were hit (see ‘key facts’ below)[i]. Following the latest findings, produced in partnership with health analytics company LCP, the leading cancer charity is calling on governments across the UK to take cancer seriously by addressing the staffing crisis to ensure people are diagnosed and treated quickly. By doing this, politicians can give more people living with cancer the gift of time.

More people are being referred for cancer tests than ever before but too many people are facing long waits and delays for diagnosis and treatment. Additional analysis from the charity shows waiting times for cancer diagnosis and treatment remained unacceptably high across every nation of the UK in the first half of 2023[ii].

The research also found that the number of people waiting too long to start treatment has increased at a greater rate than the total number of people starting treatment[iii]. Macmillan describes this is as indicative of a system in crisis, and says that people need and deserve to receive the best possible care rather than agonising waits that turn lives upside down, both mentally and physically. The charity says politicians from across the UK have failed to act for too long and support is needed now more than ever.

Talking about the direct impact that these waits are having on cancer patients, other new figures from Macmillan show more than one in four (29%) people who have been diagnosed with cancer in the past two years and have experienced delays said that they believe this has led to their cancer getting worse, and one in three (34%) said that long waits have meant that they’ve had to put their ‘entire lives on hold’[iv].

Thirty-five-year-old Claire Coxsell, from Portsmouth, was diagnosed with grade three breast cancer in March this year. Claire was referred to breast services at her local hospital but didn’t start treatment until 88 days later, which is over three weeks outside of the 62-day target. Claire says it has been a “constant battle” to find out information about her appointments and treatment.

Claire said: “I’m exhausted. I’m not tired because of the treatment — I’m tired because I have to fight for everything including my treatment. The stress and anger due to cancer admin — what I call ‘cadmin’ — has been the most tiring thing.

“I was diagnosed on 29 March, but I was meant to have an appointment about my diagnosis the week before — but didn’t receive the appointment because of an admin error. I was sitting waiting for a phone call that never came. I started my treatment on 30 May, more than 12 weeks (about 3 months) after referral despite being told I was a priority. I’ve just started radiotherapy but again, I had to chase for that appointment and it’s only after several phone calls that I was given a concrete date.

“A few days’ delay feels like years. And while I understand a few days won’t necessarily change whether I live or die, cumulative days here and there add up to weeks and months — and that is where a difference can be made.

“When I have finally have my appointments the NHS staff have been great but I do feel sorry for them as you can see they are frustrated with operating in a saturated system.”

Steven McIntosh Executive Director of Advocacy & Communications at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “The situation for people with cancer is nothing short of heartbreaking. Staff across health systems are doing the very best they can but are stretched to breaking point. The lack of support from governments across the UK has left health services fractured and people living with cancer paying the price.

“This is categorically unacceptable and entirely avoidable; it doesn’t have to be this way. Today’s data suggests that if politicians across the UK stepped into action and waiting times targets were hit, over 60,000 people with cancer would survive an extra 6 months or more, allowing more precious time with friends and family. If this doesn’t strike a chord with our governments, what will?

“Politicians, what are you waiting for? You’ve pledged to cut waiting lists and we need to see this taken seriously. We need to see greater funding and support for the cancer workforce, both right now and in the future. Investing in this, will lead to more positive outcomes for people living with cancer.”

Macmillan is urging politicians to listen and act by asking: ‘what are you waiting for?’ and is calling on governments across the UK to take urgent action to ensure that cancer services have the right resources in place to meet the ever-increasing demand now and in the years to come. This includes investing in roles such as extra admin support, link workers and care coordinators to help ensure people can quickly receive the care they need, when they need it.

By investing in the future of cancer services, people living with cancer could be getting diagnosed and treated quicker, giving them more time, and ultimately saving lives. Macmillan has already had over 12,000 people sign up to its campaign to cut waiting lists. To pile further pressure on politicians, people can sign up to support the campaign at macmillan.org.uk/whatarewewaitingfor.

Macmillan will do whatever it takes to support people through long waits and delays to cancer treatment. For anyone concerned about delays, whatever the question, Macmillan is at the end of the phone and online to provide vital support. Call the Macmillan Support Line on 0808 808 00 00 or visit macmillan.org.uk.

• New analysis carried out for Macmillan by health analytics company LCP suggests that if national 62-day targets were met in the UK instead of continuing to decline, around 64,000 people diagnosed with cancer over the next 5 years would survive at least an extra six months. This breaks down by each UK country as follows (please note, the date given to achieve the target varies due to differences in current trends and healthcare systems):
• England: Around 58,000 people with cancer would survive an extra six months or more if the 62-day target was met by December 2024
• Scotland: Around 1,200 people with cancer would survive an extra six months or more if the 62-day target was met by September 2026
• Wales: Around 1,800 people with cancer would survive an extra six months or more if the 62-day target was achieved for 80% of patients by March 2026
• Northern Ireland: Around 2,700 people with cancer would survive an extra six months or more if the 62-day target was met by December 2026[v]
• However, in England, average monthly performance against both the 62-day and 31-day national cancer waiting times targets fell to new worst levels on record for the first six months of 2023. The four worst months on record in England have all occurred in the first half of 2023[vi]
• In Scotland, performance against both national cancer waiting times targets fell to a new worst record in the first three months of the year. While it improved from April to June, performance against both targets remained lower than the same time last year[vii]
• In Wales, performance against the single national cancer waiting times target fell to a new record low in January 2023, and remained worse between February and June 2023 than the same time last year[viii]
• In Northern Ireland, performance against the national 62-day cancer waiting times target fell to a new worst on record in the first three months of the year, with barely one in three patients (34.8%) starting treatment within two months of an urgent GP referral for suspected cancer. While there was some sign of improvement from April to June, performance against this target was still lower than the same time last year[ix]
• The number of people with cancer waiting too long to start treatment has increased at a greater rate than the total number of people starting treatment over the past 10 years in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and has also increased at a greater rate in Wales in recent years (please note: figures cannot be directly compared between countries due to differences in the way data is collected and published)[x]

At Macmillan, we give people with cancer everything we’ve got. If you’re diagnosed, your worries are our worries. We will do whatever it takes to help you live life as fully as you can. And we don’t stop there. We’re going all out to find ever better ways to help people with cancer, helping to bring forward the day when everyone gets life-transforming support from day one. As cancer is evolving, so must we. Macmillan will not settle for anything other than the best possible support for people living with cancer. As a charity, we can’t afford to stand still. Now more than ever, we need to take every chance to make a difference. But we cannot do it alone. We have been working with others for over 100 years and will continue to do so. So, we’re working to create a vision of Macmillan that is shaped side by side with the people and communities we exist to support.

Macmillan support available for readers

• Macmillan’s free, confidential phone line is open 7 days a week, 8am to 8pm to support people with cancer with any question, big or small. Call 0808 808 00 00.
• The Macmillan Support Line has an interpreter service, so you can speak to a cancer support specialist in your language, you can also ask for an interpreter for the webchat service.
• Macmillan’s Online Community is a safe online environment for people living with cancer to get support at any time of the day or night. People can join anonymously and seek advice through group chats, blog about their experiences and meet other people going through the same things.
• The Macmillan Cancer Support website has information on cancer types, treatments and impacts and can direct people to the support that’s right for them. People can order booklets or leaflets from the website, across a wide range of topics and available in 16 languages to help everyone who needs it.
• Macmillan Information and Support Centres give people with cancer a place to be heard and receive support for whatever they need, in places local to them.