Waiting times for cancer care can have severe consequences as earlier diagnosis leads to quicker treatment, reduced risk of complications and improved cancer survival rates.
Statistics on waiting times for cancer patients
Changes to cancer waiting time standards took effect on 1 October 2023, with three core measures replacing the previous benchmarks:
- 28-day wait from an urgent referral to when a patient is informed whether they have cancer or have been ruled out (75% target).
- 31-day (one month) wait from a decision to treat to the first or subsequent treatment (96% target).
- 62-day (two months) wait from an urgent referral or consultant upgrade to the first definitive treatment (85% target).
Despite these changes, services continue to fall short of meeting operational standards. Here are the results from December 2024:
Faster Diagnosis Standard (Target Met):
The British Medical Association (BMA) reveal that 78.1% of patients were informed of their cancer diagnosis within 28 days of an urgent referral, an increase from 77.4% in November 2024, surpassing the 75% target. NHS England’s planning guidance for 2025/26 sets a new interim target of 80% by March 2026 for this metric.
31-day Decision to Treat Standard (Target NOT Met):
The percentage of patients receiving their first cancer treatment within one month of a treatment decision increased slightly from 91.0% in November 2024 to 91.5% in December 2024, but this is still below the 96% target.
62-day Referral to Treatment Standard (Target NOT Met):
The percentage of patients receiving their first cancer treatment within two months (62 days) of an urgent referral rose from 69.4% in November 2024 to 71.3% in December 2024, far below the 85% target. NHS England aims to reach 75% performance for this target by March 2026.
These shortfalls in key operational standards highlight the significant pressure on the system and emphasise the urgent need for substantial investment in healthcare capacity.
Current target wait times in the UK
The following target timescales have been set out for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in the UK in 2025/26:
- To improve the percentage of people diagnosed within 28 days to 80% by March 2026.
- To improve the percentage of people starting treatment within 62 days to 75% by March 2026.
COVID-19 Pandemic Effects
The COVID-19 pandemic increased the burden on the NHS, and this has resulted in an ongoing issue due to the backlog of patients who are waiting for secondary care. This includes:
- Patients on waiting lists for treatment who would normally have been seen by now.
- Patients who haven’t yet approached their GP for a referral due to concerns about burdening the health service or fears of COVID-19 infection.
- Patients whose procedures were cancelled.
- Patients with delayed or cancelled referrals.
- Patients whose referrals were declined due to a lack of capacity.
The NHS shared that their staff delivered a record 18 million treatments in 2024, as the waiting list fell in December for the fourth month in a row. The overall backlog has dropped again from 7.48 million to 7.46 million, while the estimated number of patients waiting is down from 6.28 million to 6.24 million.
However, clearing the backlog will take years. The continued need for strict infection control measures, along with workforce shortages, will prolong the process as demand continues to increase.
NHS Long Term Plan
The NHS are continuing to expand their Long Term Plan to transform cancer care and improve the quality of life outcomes. One in two people in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime and the NHS are aiming to save thousands more lives every year by improving how they diagnose and treat cancer.
They have set out goals so that by 2028:
- 55,000 extra people will survive cancer each year for 5 or more years following their cancer diagnosis
- Three in four cancers (75%) will be diagnosed at an early stage (stage 1 or 2)
They want to introduce a faster diagnosis standard so that patients receive a definitive diagnosis of cancer within 28 days so that they can either be assured that they do not have cancer or get the treatment that they need quickly. Early diagnosis is critical for the NHS to meet their survival ambition because an early diagnosis means that patients can receive treatment quicker and there will be a better chance of achieving a complete cure.
Summary
From reviewing the above statistics, it is clear to see that even though the NHS is actively working to reduce cancer waiting times, they are failing to hit their targets, meaning there are thousands of patients every year not being diagnosed and treated within the NHS’ target time frame.
Receiving a cancer diagnosis is never good, but early diagnosis and treatment are much better for the patient’s outcome. If you have any symptoms of cancer, you must seek a medical opinion so that you can get a diagnosis as soon as possible.
If you have experienced any delays, cancellations or any other concerns regarding your cancer diagnosis or treatment, then contact Patient Claim Line and our medical negligence experts can help you through the cancer negligence claims process.