Britain’s cancer postcode lottery exposed: In some NHS areas, only one in four patients are seen within 62-day target, analysis shows

Health
By Liam
  • At Liverpool Women’s NHS Trust, only 23% of patients were treated in 62 days
  • At Royal Papworth, 38% were seen within this time frame, analysis shows

By Colin Fernandez Science correspondent for The Daily Mail

Published: | Updated:

New research shows that only one in four cancer patients is seen within the prescribed period of 62 days.

The ‘heartbreaking’ gap between the best areas for treatment and the worst has been highlighted by analysis of House of Commons Library data by the Liberal Democrats.

The party advocates an end to the ‘postcode lottery for cancer care’ with a legal guarantee that cancer patients will receive treatment within 62 days.

This is currently the maximum time patients can wait from an urgent cancer referral or consultant upgrade to their first definitive treatment.

But at Liverpool Women’s NHS Trust only 23 per cent of patients were treated within guidelines, while at Royal Papworth only 38 per cent were treated.

More than 30,000 people waited more than a month after being told they needed surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy, ‘alarming’ new data from NHS England shows.

In total, there were 31 NHS Trusts where more than four in ten patients were not treated within the 62 day limit.

In contrast, at the Royal National Orthopedic Hospital NHS Trust, 93 per cent of patients were treated within two months, and at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust the figure was 88 per cent.

The two-month target has been a government promise since 2000, but has not been achieved since 2015 and has never been written into law.

Last year, only 64 percent of cancer patients started their treatment within the target time frame, well below the government target of 85 percent.

The Liberal Democrats demand that the guarantee be enshrined in law.

The party’s spokesperson for health and social care, Daisy Cooper MP, said: ‘It is heartbreaking to see such a grim postcode lottery of cancer care across the country.

‘We know how important it is to detect and treat cancer early, so that people have the best chance of survival. Unfortunately, this happens far too little under this conservative government.

“Behind each of these numbers is a story of fear, discomfort and anxiety for thousands of families across the country.

‘This Conservative government has not prioritized cancer treatment times, meaning people are simply not getting the care they need in a timely manner.

“It is a shameful indictment of their neglect of our healthcare system.

‘Every patient should have a legal right to start their treatment within two months so they have the best chance of beating this horrific disease.

‘We urgently need investment in cancer facilities in the NHS, including radiotherapy machines and more cancer nurses.

‘It must be a driving force in our attitude towards healthcare to give cancer patients the treatment they deserve.’

What do the latest NHS figures show?

The total waiting list fell by 6,266 to 7.6 million in December.

There were 282 people wait more than two years for starters, up from 227 in November.

The number of people waiting over a year The number of people wanting to start hospital treatment was 337,450, slightly lower than the 355,412 in the previous month.

About 54,308 people had to wait more than 12 hours in emergency departments in England in January. This figure is up from 44,045 in December.

A total of 158,721 people waited at least four hours of admission decision in January, up from 148,282 in December.

Only 70.3 percent of patients were seen within four hours at A&Es last month. NHS standards require 95 percent to be admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours.

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