England cancer waiting time targets set to be dropped

In a bid to detect cancer earlier, the number of NHS cancer waiting time targets are expected to be reduced in England.

NHS leaders want to cut the number of targets, most of which have been routinely missed in recent years, from nine to three, a plan which they say is backed by leading cancer experts and will simplify the “outdated” standards.

However, Pat Price, oncologist and visiting professor at Imperial College London, and head of charity Radiotherapy UK, says she is “deeply worried”.

She added that the current performance was “shockingly bad” and while too many targets could be disruptive, “the clear and simple truth is that we are not investing enough in cancer treatment capacity”.

The targets which are set to be kept include diagnosis within 28 days of referral, commencing treatment within two months of an urgent referral, and starting treatment one month after a decision to treat.  Six other targets, including a two week wait for a first consultant appointment, will be dropped.

NHS chiefs are understood to be keen to go ahead with the plan as first announced, but it is still subject to final approval by Health Secretary Steve Barclay, who said “What we have is a consultation at the moment with leading clinical figures in the cancer world and with the cancer charities asking whether the checks we have got are driving the right outcomes in terms of cancer survival or whether there are better ways of measuring those.

“This is something led by clinicians working in cancer – it is not something being imposed by the government.”

A spokesperson from NHS England said “By making sure more patients are diagnosed and treated as early as possible following a referral and replacing the outdated two-week wait target with the faster diagnosis standard already being used across the country, hundreds of patients waiting to have cancer ruled out or diagnosed could receive this news faster.”

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Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (jacquelinevance@chadlaw.co.uk), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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