Cancer diagnosis postcode lottery revealed as over 60,000 wait more than two weeks in August alone
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108 NHS trusts miss the two week cancer referral target (72% of all trusts).
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Top 10 worst places for cancer referrals revealed.
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Lib Dems call on the Government to bring forward an urgent plan to improve cancer care after NHS targets missed.
New analysis of the latest NHS data by the Liberal Democrats has revealed the worst places in the country to see a cancer specialist within two weeks after being referred by a GP.
A staggering 62,360 people had to wait more than two weeks to see a cancer specialist after a GP referral in August alone.
Despite the Government setting a target of 93% of patients seeing a cancer specialist after a referral, just 30 NHS trusts met the target. Some trusts only managed to see one third of people in time, as a post-code lottery is revealed.
The Liberal Democrats have revealed the top 10 worst places for cancer referrals in the country. Norfolk and Norwich NHS Trust is the worst, where only 34% of people were seen within two weeks of a referral.
Liberal Democrat Health spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:
“This grim postcode lottery is a national scandal. The evidence tells us how critical a speedy cancer diagnosis is yet thousands of people are left waiting far too long. The sheer number of people anxiously waiting is completely unacceptable.
“Our health services cannot be ignored any longer. The Government must prioritise resources to clear record backlogs, slash dangerously long ambulance waiting times, and solve the healthcare postcode lottery.
“All we’ve had from this Government is broken promise after broken promise. It is time for real action.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
First reported today in the Daily Mail
Official target from the NHS is that 93% of people should see a consultant within 14 days from urgent GP referral with suspected cancer.
Targets Explainer: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancer-in-general/cancer-waiting-times
Liberal Democrat Analysis: Cancer Waiting Times - Two Week Wait - August 2022
Worst Top 20 - Percentage of People Seen in Two Weeks | |
NORFOLK AND NORWICH UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 33.61% |
TORBAY AND SOUTH DEVON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 38.36% |
NORTH BRISTOL NHS TRUST | 40.18% |
UNITED LINCOLNSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS TRUST | 42.30% |
DORSET COUNTY HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 44.47% |
UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS BRISTOL AND WESTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 45.18% |
YEOVIL DISTRICT HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 46.16% |
HARROGATE AND DISTRICT NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 47.30% |
ROYAL UNITED HOSPITALS BATH NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 48.27% |
UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS DORSET NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 48.44% |
NORTH WEST ANGLIA NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 49.12% |
LIVERPOOL UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 50.63% |
LANCASHIRE TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 51.26% |
UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF NORTH MIDLANDS NHS TRUST | 52.42% |
WHITTINGTON HEALTH NHS TRUST | 54.08% |
MANCHESTER UNIVERSITY NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 54.09% |
MID AND SOUTH ESSEX NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 55.37% |
SOUTH TEES HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 56.99% |
SOMERSET NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 57.14% |
FRIMLEY HEALTH NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 58.60% |
Worst Top 20 - People waiting longer the Two Weeks | |
MID AND SOUTH ESSEX NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 2,612 |
MANCHESTER UNIVERSITY NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 2,315 |
NORFOLK AND NORWICH UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 2,236 |
UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF NORTH MIDLANDS NHS TRUST | 1,880 |
UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS SUSSEX NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 1,804 |
UNITED LINCOLNSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS TRUST | 1,723 |
UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS DORSET NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 1,567 |
LIVERPOOL UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 1,482 |
NORTHERN CARE ALLIANCE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 1,434 |
FRIMLEY HEALTH NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 1,316 |
ROYAL DEVON UNIVERSITY HEALTHCARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 1,281 |
TORBAY AND SOUTH DEVON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 1,271 |
NORTH BRISTOL NHS TRUST | 1,249 |
NORTH WEST ANGLIA NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 1,241 |
LEEDS TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS TRUST | 1,186 |
EAST SUFFOLK AND NORTH ESSEX NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 1,130 |
UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS BRISTOL AND WESTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 1,013 |
UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF DERBY AND BURTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 886 |
LANCASHIRE TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 873 |
SOUTH TEES HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | 871 |
