Each month, on average, 65,400 people in England are left waiting too long to find out whether or not they have cancer, according to new calculations from Cancer Research UK.
In 2021, the government’s introduced a new ‘Faster Diagnostic Standard’ (FDS) for 75 per cent of people on certain cancer-related referrals to receive either a cancer diagnosis or the all-clear within a month to try and address this.
However, this target has yet to be met nationally, and even if it were met – 55,000 people would still be left waiting to find out whether they had cancer each month.
The data also reveals there is major variation across the country – with only 78 out of 143 hospital trusts meeting the 75 per cent standard.
The charity is calling on government to include a more ambitious target within its upcoming 10-year cancer plan, as well as plans to ensure the NHS can deliver.
By raising the target to 95 per cent, the government could help ensure around 54,300 more people each month receive a diagnosis or have cancer ruled out within 28 days.
Michelle Mitchell, Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, said: “As a country we should not be willing to accept that over 1 in 4 people on an urgent referral are left waiting over a month to find out whether they have cancer. Nor should we stand for the variation that exists across the country.
“The government must take this opportunity to deliver for the millions of people affected by cancer. With ambitious targets, a credible plan to reach them and clear accountability, we can get there.”
The FDS was implemented by NHS England in 2021 to better capture how long people urgently referred for suspected cancer wait for a diagnosis, and the charity joined others from the cancer community to push for its introduction back in 2015.
The charity says that by shining a light on the cancer diagnosis pathway, it aims to drive improvements in patient experience and swifter diagnosis. This is important as once someone receives a diagnosis, they can start treatment, which could save their life. But due to chronic shortages of specialists critical to diagnosing cancer across the NHS, the target was introduced too low.
Cancer diagnosed at an early stage, before it can grow and spread, is more likely to be treated successfully. But early diagnosis in England currently lags behind comparable countries. Greater ambition is desperately needed, and as part of this the government must set the FDS on a trajectory towards 95 per cent to help reduce the number of people left in limbo each month.
Professor Charles Swanton, Cancer Research UK’s chief clinician, said: “The government has declared it will radically improve cancer care in England through its 10-Year Cancer Plan, and crucial to this plan is ensuring that more people receive an all-important timely diagnosis.
“With a robust plan and sustained investment to build a cancer workforce fit for the future, we could diagnose people quicker and earlier, and save more lives.”
