Almost half of all NHS trusts in England missed a vital two-week most cancers analysis goal in each month final yr, new knowledge has revealed.
NHS targets state that 93% of sufferers ought to have an appointment with a most cancers specialist inside two weeks of an pressing GP referral.
But new analysis commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has revealed this goal was missed by 63 of 132 (48%) of NHS trusts in England in each single month of 2022.
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Analysis of figures offered by the House of Commons Library additionally confirmed that solely 5 NHS trusts, making up lower than 4% of the entire, met the goal in each month of final yr.
While on the worst performing trusts in December 2022, fewer than half of sufferers have been seen inside the two-week goal after an pressing GP referral.
The worst was University Hospital Bristol and Weston the place simply 42% of sufferers have been seen inside two weeks.
This was adopted by Whittington Health (45%), Liverpool University Hospitals (48%) and North West Anglia (49%).
The two-week wait appointment system was launched in order that anybody with signs which may point out most cancers may very well be seen by a specialist as shortly as doable.
The NHS web site says attending this appointment inside two weeks is vitally essential and can permit a person with signs to learn from early reassurance that most cancers has not been identified or an early analysis and earlier entry to remedy.
The Liberal Democrats warned that targets are being “routinely missed” and stated the brand new analysis has uncovered “shocking gaps in cancer care”.
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The social gathering’s well being spokesperson Daisy Cooper stated: “It is a national scandal that crucial targets are being routinely missed, leaving many people waiting anxiously for a cancer diagnosis.
“It reveals there are surprising gaps in most cancers care relying on the place you reside within the nation.
“The evidence tells us how critical a speedy diagnosis can be. The government must get a grip on this crisis so cancer patients get the urgent care they need to give them the best chance of survival.
“That should begin with a correct plan to recruit the NHS workers the well being service so desperately wants.”
Back in December, it was revealed that a record number of people with suspected cancer are being referred by their GPs to specialists – but the NHS has not been able to keep up with increased demand.
More than two and a half million people in England were referred for suspected cancer in the year to April 2022, 300,000 more than the previous record set two years ago and more than double the amount from 10 years ago.
But the number of exploratory tests which typically confirm or rule out a cancer diagnosis are down on pre-pandemic levels and in some cases the lowest since records began in 2009.
NHS data published in November showed that in September more than one in four people had to wait over two weeks to see a cancer specialist after being urgently referred by their GP – almost four times more than the NHS target.
A Department for Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “The newest NHS knowledge reveals the next share of individuals with suspected most cancers have been seen inside the 2 week wait commonplace in December in comparison with November.
“We are working to reduce the 62 day cancer backlog – which latest published figures show has fallen 9% since peaking in 2020 – but we know there is more to do.
“We are decided to cut back the time between most cancers referral and session and have opened 92 group diagnostic centres which have delivered over 3 million exams scans and checks, together with to detect most cancers as early as doable.”
Source: information.sky.com”