Delayed cancer care three times more likely than 2012
Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed that one third of cancer patients are waiting longer than the 62-day standard to access treatment.
Throughout the UK, 62 days is the maximum wait time that health services are targeted to achieve between a suspected cancer referral and the start of treatment. The number of patients in England who are not treated within this limit has more than tripled to 33.4% in comparison to equivalent statistic of 11% from 2012.
Another target suggests that cancer treatment should begin no more than 31 days after the treatment plan is agreed. Almost 9% of patients were waiting more than 31 days in the second quarter of 2024. This is a large increase on the 1.6% seen 12 years ago.
The ONS noted that the percentage of patients who are not receiving care within the targeted period has remained ‘broadly stable’ since 2022. For example, the figure stood at 33.9% in June 2022. However, it peaked at 36.8% in March 2023 before reducing to the current level of 33.4%.
In February 2022, the NHS announced a plan to reduce the backlog of non-emergency surgery that built up throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Measures included increasing healthcare capacity and prioritising diagnosis and treatment. The ONS links the decrease in treatment wait times exceeding the 62-day target with the release of this plan.
Trends in cancer diagnosis
The ONS also said that the data needs to be interpreted in relation to general trends in cancer statistics. Cancer incidence and referrals have been increasing steadily, which the ONS suggests is due to the growing and aging population.
In July, analysis from Cancer Research UK found that smoking-related cancers were at an all-time high. With six people diagnosed every hour, the charity said that around 160 new cases are diagnosed in the UK each day.
This is an increase of 17% from 2003, when 20 fewer smoking-related cancer cases were diagnosed daily.
Although World Health Organization (WHO) data suggests that global smoking levels are declining, Cancer Research UK said that 6.4 million people in the UK still smoke.
The cancer charity therefore reaffirmed its support for the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will effectively ban smoking for anyone born after 2008. It was confirmed in July that the ban would go ahead under Kier Starmer’s government.
Ian Walker is executive director of policy at Cancer Research UK. He said: ‘Raising the age of sale of tobacco products will be one of the biggest public health interventions in living memory, establishing the UK as a world-leader.’
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