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Cancer waiting times: Latest updates and analysis

by Sophia Lowes , Matt Sample | Analysis

14 November 2024

14 comments 14 comments

Woman waiting in hospital waiting room
Credit: toodtuphoto/Shutterstock.com

This article provides information on the latest performance against cancer waiting times targets. We have another piece explaining the recent changes to cancer waiting times in England.



Over the past few years, pressure on NHS cancer services has been mounting.

Cancer waiting times, which show whether the health system is meeting its targets for quickly diagnosing and treating cancer, help show us the extent of this pressure.

Testing for cancer, diagnosing it and starting treatment quickly saves people from stress and anxiety. Not only this, but cancer that’s diagnosed and treated at an early stage, when it isn’t too large and hasn’t spread, is more likely to be treated successfully. Prompt diagnosis and treatment underpin this.

December 2023 was the first month that the reported data on cancer waiting times is reflecting the new updated NHSE targets, as explained in our previous article

The standards have been streamlined into 3 key cancer waiting time standards with associated targets that  indicate how well cancer services are doing.  

Here are the latest results in England for August 2024:

The Faster Diagnosis Standard: Target Met

  • 75.5% of people were diagnosed, or had cancer ruled out, within 28 days of an urgent referral in August 2024. The target is 75%.

The 62-day referral to treatment standard: Target Missed

  • Only 69.2% of people in England received their diagnosis and started their first treatment within 2 months (or 62 days) of an urgent referral* in August 2024. The target is 85% and has not been met since December 2015.

The 31-day decision to treat standard: Target Missed

  • 91.7% of people started treatment** within 31 days of doctors deciding a treatment plan in August 2024. The target is 96%.

The above data are specific to England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also have their own cancer waiting times targets. 

Today's data shows that despite the tireless effort of NHS staff, cancer patients across England continue to be let down. Our health service does not have the capacity to diagnose and treat everyone on time, and we need long-term planning from the UK government to solve this problem.

It's encouraging that the Health and Social Care Secretary has pledged to meet cancer wait time targets by the end of this parliament, and that a 10-year health plan is being developed. But there are not easy fixes for the complexity of cancer. It's vital that a dedicated cancer strategy for England is created alongside this which reforms and invests in our NHS, prioritises vital research and ultimately, saves lives.

- Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK

What does this mean for people affected by cancer?

It can be easy to forget that behind these numbers are real people going through an incredibly anxious time.

Quantifying the impact of missing targets and longer waits on patient outcomes is difficult as the research is limited.

The picture is different for different cancer types – some progress quicker than others – but we know the overall impact is likely to be negative. One study estimated that a 4-week delay to cancer surgery led to a 6-8% increased risk of dying.

People with more aggressive cancers are prioritised for early treatment where possible, but there can be good reasons why someone might experience a long wait for treatment.

For example, it can take longer to plan treatments intending to cure someone’s cancer, and sometimes patients need prehabilitation before starting treatment to give them the best chance of recovering well.

But increases in missed targets mean people who need potentially lifesaving cancer treatments are waiting, and worrying, for longer – and that is a big concern.

Despite delays, people shouldn’t put off coming forward if they are worried about symptoms. It’s always better to be on the waiting list than not at all, and if doctors are concerned, they will push things through as quickly as possible.

Getting back on track

Today’s Cancer Waiting Times continue to show unacceptable waits for cancer patients in England and, despite the best efforts of NHS staff, a service under strain.  

Behind every one of these missed targets are patients – along with their friends, family and loved ones – who are facing unacceptably long and anxious waits to find out if they have cancer and when they can begin treatment. 

With cancer cases on the rise and improvements in survival showing signs of slowing, cancer is still the defining health issue of our time, affecting nearly 1 in 2 of us in our lifetime. Improving cancer outcomes requires bold action, long term thinking, reform and funding. This must be a key priority for the UK Government. 

The UK Government has made welcome commitments, to hit cancer waiting time targets by 2029, and to develop a 10 year health plan to improve NHS services – and Cancer Research UK looks forward to working with government towards those goals.  

But cancer is complex and there will be no easy fixes if we want to improve services and outcomes for people affected by cancer. It’s vital that a dedicated cancer strategy for England is created alongside this which reforms and invests in our NHS, prioritises vital research and ultimately, saves lives. 

That’s why we’re campaigning for the new UK Government to make this a turning point for cancer, and you can add your voice to the campaign here 

 


 

* Urgent referrals include urgent referrals from a GP for cancer symptoms or breast symptoms, urgent referrals from a cancer screening programme, and referrals upgraded by a consultant. 

It’s important to note that the update to cancer waiting times standards in October 2023 means that more types of referral are now included in the 62-day standard. This means that that the 62-day standard now applies to more people than before. 

** This standard includes people starting their first treatment for cancer and also people starting any subsequent treatments. Before October 2023, the 31day standard included first treatments only.  

    Comments

  • Rosemary Wilson
    31 July 2024

    My husband has stage 4 Bowel and lung cancer. He found this out when he was due to have a shoulder replacement in March 2024. It was noted that he had breathing difficulties. His GP dismissed this and he finally got a scan after asking for a a second opinion at another branch if Beacon Health Group. He was told he had shadows on his lungs. However after having a PET scan for which he travelled 40 miles to Colchester hospital, it was found that he had Bowel cancer with secondary lung cancer.
    This is despite having a negative result last year with his FIT test and being told by his GP that he merely had burst blood blisters in his Bowel and it was nothing to worry about, that he had blood in his poo. He started treatment last week

  • Belinda Smith
    26 July 2024

    I had half my bowel removed in 2019 due to colon cancer and was told all the cancer was taken away. In 2020, it returned to the bowel and spread to my spine, kidney and belly button and was told it was incurable. I had chemo and radiotherapy . Luckily, despite their predictions, I am still alive. I have just been told that the cancer on my bowel has grown. The team had a discussion then informed me that it had not grown enough to warrant treatment and that I’d been scanned for five years so should see my doctor in future. I am walking around with five tumours having two on the kidney which will eventually grow leaving me with little chance to get back in the system for treatment.

  • Mark Hill
    1 July 2024

    What the stats don’t tell you is, where the targets are missed, how much are they missed by. My urgent referral for prostate cancer was 11th March 24. I received my confirmed diagnosis of T2 with gleason score of 9 on 20th May following a biopsy. 70 days vs target of 28 days.
    I’m posting this on 1st July and as yet have no treatment plan, let alone been put on a waiting list. That’s 112 days vs target of 62 days for start of treatment from urgent referral.
    Either I’ve been very unlucky or the data you have for percentage of people meeting these targets is questionable.

  • Geoffrey Thornes
    26 March 2024

    Husband diagnosed with kidney cancer after a MRI for another reason.
    Dr referred for urgent review to urology after seeing the MRI he called for another reason.
    Was told by the urologist that a CT would be needed.
    This is what has happened next
    CT scan 20 Feb
    Results kidney cancer possibly Adrenal as primary and lung nodules so was referred to Endocrine.

    Was told all above on the 27 Feb by phone call.
    Also being referred for a lung biopsy which we have heard nothing yet.
    March saw Endocrine team was told bloods were needed and urine test all done and results were back on the 20 th March.

    21 March was told not Adrenal as the primary as previously thought it is kidney cancer still.
    Was told we would get a biopsy in two weeks time .
    I phoned up they said biopsy would be 24 April which is nearly 6/7 weeks after and well over the two week biopsy wait was told it would be.
    I am still chasing this up.
    Lung biopsy was told 4 week wait on the 27 Feb still no news.
    We have been passed from Kidney to Endcrine back to urology again.
    No treatment
    Not even seen an oncologist yet.
    Only had CT
    MRI
    Full blood
    Urine test
    One Doctor seen at one appointment
    Shocking really we was told on the the letter its stage 4 not even by a doctor.

  • Gary David Brown
    11 March 2024

    I had a fall at work of about 9 feet. Sustained Multiple fractures, my Wrist, Collar bone. etc,. Had C.T Scan followed by M.I.R while in A&E. 5 days later got phone call to say they had found a growth. At Adrenal Gland was told it was on it.(So assumed on outside ) Then on the 6th day since fall got another phone call to go in for what the caller said was for emergency M.I.R and Bloods..In mean time received letter saying growth was inside the Adrenal Gland.? So do not know if on outside or inside and not told size of it..Just told When results of last M.I.R. are in system i would be getting appointment to Endocrinology. That was 3 weeks ago..I have phoned Endocrinology twice once it got to over 2 weeks. Keep being told my results are not yet in the System. And in any case waiting list for Endocrine appt,. is one huge long waiting list. Today weirdly i was told my results are still not in system but then was told She would get my Consultant i have not met yet to phone me..Obviously i cannot work until fractures heal and plaster comes off. So i have too much time to worry and feel in Limbo as to what will,… is to happen next..

  • Alan Strudwick
    3 March 2024

    Fourteen years of incompetent government.

  • cuddle mcch
    8 November 2023

    too informative and thanks for sharing this much knowledge with us.

  • Mrs Birch
    7 November 2023

    Husband diagnosed with bladder cancer in August 2023. Awaiting a bladder removal. Aggressive cancer & waiting list is 4-5 months. Due according to the surgeon to strikes. I will be taking legal advice & action. NOT good enough.

  • Chris Allen
    22 September 2023

    I had a PSA test in January that scored 19. The follow up test two weeks later scored 21.
    I then had an MRI scan followed buy a CT scan & prostate gland biopsy.
    On 19th May a consultant Urologist at Leicester General Hospital told me I had stage three cancer with a high Gleeson score. He prescribed hormone treatment and referred me to Oncology.
    On the 22nd Aug I saw an Oncology consultant & was told I needed seven & half weeks of radiotherapy. Owing to the “backlog” treatment wouldn’t start for two & half months and if I hadn’t heard anything by then to “Give them a call”
    I was advised by Prostaid to “chase this up”
    Today I called Radiotherapy at Leicester Royal Infirmary and was told I’m number eighty in the queue and the list is being cleared at four per week. Unfortunately, it looks as if I have another five months to wait before any futher treatment will start.
    I’ll continue with hormone injections.

  • Vivien Hall
    16 September 2023

    My daughter was diagnosed with grade 4 bladder cancer on 14th July 2023. She has still not started treatment. Is this because they know she’s going to die so they see no urgency in treating her. They can’t operate and she only saw the oncologist 10 days ago. It’s disgraceful. She is very distressed at the lack of treatment and this can’t be doing her any good physically either.

  • Carol Price
    3 September 2023

    I am not happy I have not had chemo for 6mths it is very stressful

  • Jerry Golding
    22 July 2023

    From my own experience, I cannot fault the care and treatment I have received from Oxford University NHS Trust.
    I was referred by my GP for tests on 14/02/23, received a phone call from my local hospital, The Horton General in Banbury, on the 15th inviting me for a CT Scan on the 16th, on the 16th I received another phone call this time from the endoscopy unit offering me an appointment on the 18th,…. bad news! On the 1st March I was sat in front of my consultant at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford getting the really bad news. I started palliative chemotherapy and immunotherapy on 29th March and have just completed my sixth and final cycle of chemo with immuno to continue. Perhaps I am lucky (well only sort of, because the outcome is now per-ordained) because of where I live and OUHNHSTrust includes the Churchill Hospital, an acknowledged cancer care unit. Finally, a big shout out to ALL the wonderful and caring staff, from Professor Ramon De Melo, Dr. (Consultant) Paul Miller, all the Macmillan nurses, all the nurses and staff at the Horton GH in Banbury and particularly those at the Brodey Center who administer the chemo/immuno therapies.

  • Lynette Higgins
    14 July 2023

    I waited 10 weeks for results of my two yearly scan! Consultant said well if it was good news I would have rang you within a couple of weeks! I started palliative chemo 16 weeks after my scan! The stress this has caused for me and my family is unimaginable. My cancer is not curable but it is treatable. At the time of the scan my cancer spread was small but 16 weeks down the line who knows!

  • Dr Sheila Cartwright
    13 July 2023

    These figures showing the many missed targets are absolutely shocking but don’t come as a surprise. As a former experienced RadiationOncologist in the north of England, I kept making awareness of delays in cancer diagnosis and treatment, particularly radiotherapy, in the public domain 30 years ago. The current dreadful missed target figures are a direct result of long term significant underfunding of cancer services by many governments and are extremely worrying.

Tell us what you think

Leave a Reply

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Read our comment policy.

    Comments

  • Rosemary Wilson
    31 July 2024

    My husband has stage 4 Bowel and lung cancer. He found this out when he was due to have a shoulder replacement in March 2024. It was noted that he had breathing difficulties. His GP dismissed this and he finally got a scan after asking for a a second opinion at another branch if Beacon Health Group. He was told he had shadows on his lungs. However after having a PET scan for which he travelled 40 miles to Colchester hospital, it was found that he had Bowel cancer with secondary lung cancer.
    This is despite having a negative result last year with his FIT test and being told by his GP that he merely had burst blood blisters in his Bowel and it was nothing to worry about, that he had blood in his poo. He started treatment last week

  • Belinda Smith
    26 July 2024

    I had half my bowel removed in 2019 due to colon cancer and was told all the cancer was taken away. In 2020, it returned to the bowel and spread to my spine, kidney and belly button and was told it was incurable. I had chemo and radiotherapy . Luckily, despite their predictions, I am still alive. I have just been told that the cancer on my bowel has grown. The team had a discussion then informed me that it had not grown enough to warrant treatment and that I’d been scanned for five years so should see my doctor in future. I am walking around with five tumours having two on the kidney which will eventually grow leaving me with little chance to get back in the system for treatment.

  • Mark Hill
    1 July 2024

    What the stats don’t tell you is, where the targets are missed, how much are they missed by. My urgent referral for prostate cancer was 11th March 24. I received my confirmed diagnosis of T2 with gleason score of 9 on 20th May following a biopsy. 70 days vs target of 28 days.
    I’m posting this on 1st July and as yet have no treatment plan, let alone been put on a waiting list. That’s 112 days vs target of 62 days for start of treatment from urgent referral.
    Either I’ve been very unlucky or the data you have for percentage of people meeting these targets is questionable.

  • Geoffrey Thornes
    26 March 2024

    Husband diagnosed with kidney cancer after a MRI for another reason.
    Dr referred for urgent review to urology after seeing the MRI he called for another reason.
    Was told by the urologist that a CT would be needed.
    This is what has happened next
    CT scan 20 Feb
    Results kidney cancer possibly Adrenal as primary and lung nodules so was referred to Endocrine.

    Was told all above on the 27 Feb by phone call.
    Also being referred for a lung biopsy which we have heard nothing yet.
    March saw Endocrine team was told bloods were needed and urine test all done and results were back on the 20 th March.

    21 March was told not Adrenal as the primary as previously thought it is kidney cancer still.
    Was told we would get a biopsy in two weeks time .
    I phoned up they said biopsy would be 24 April which is nearly 6/7 weeks after and well over the two week biopsy wait was told it would be.
    I am still chasing this up.
    Lung biopsy was told 4 week wait on the 27 Feb still no news.
    We have been passed from Kidney to Endcrine back to urology again.
    No treatment
    Not even seen an oncologist yet.
    Only had CT
    MRI
    Full blood
    Urine test
    One Doctor seen at one appointment
    Shocking really we was told on the the letter its stage 4 not even by a doctor.

  • Gary David Brown
    11 March 2024

    I had a fall at work of about 9 feet. Sustained Multiple fractures, my Wrist, Collar bone. etc,. Had C.T Scan followed by M.I.R while in A&E. 5 days later got phone call to say they had found a growth. At Adrenal Gland was told it was on it.(So assumed on outside ) Then on the 6th day since fall got another phone call to go in for what the caller said was for emergency M.I.R and Bloods..In mean time received letter saying growth was inside the Adrenal Gland.? So do not know if on outside or inside and not told size of it..Just told When results of last M.I.R. are in system i would be getting appointment to Endocrinology. That was 3 weeks ago..I have phoned Endocrinology twice once it got to over 2 weeks. Keep being told my results are not yet in the System. And in any case waiting list for Endocrine appt,. is one huge long waiting list. Today weirdly i was told my results are still not in system but then was told She would get my Consultant i have not met yet to phone me..Obviously i cannot work until fractures heal and plaster comes off. So i have too much time to worry and feel in Limbo as to what will,… is to happen next..

  • Alan Strudwick
    3 March 2024

    Fourteen years of incompetent government.

  • cuddle mcch
    8 November 2023

    too informative and thanks for sharing this much knowledge with us.

  • Mrs Birch
    7 November 2023

    Husband diagnosed with bladder cancer in August 2023. Awaiting a bladder removal. Aggressive cancer & waiting list is 4-5 months. Due according to the surgeon to strikes. I will be taking legal advice & action. NOT good enough.

  • Chris Allen
    22 September 2023

    I had a PSA test in January that scored 19. The follow up test two weeks later scored 21.
    I then had an MRI scan followed buy a CT scan & prostate gland biopsy.
    On 19th May a consultant Urologist at Leicester General Hospital told me I had stage three cancer with a high Gleeson score. He prescribed hormone treatment and referred me to Oncology.
    On the 22nd Aug I saw an Oncology consultant & was told I needed seven & half weeks of radiotherapy. Owing to the “backlog” treatment wouldn’t start for two & half months and if I hadn’t heard anything by then to “Give them a call”
    I was advised by Prostaid to “chase this up”
    Today I called Radiotherapy at Leicester Royal Infirmary and was told I’m number eighty in the queue and the list is being cleared at four per week. Unfortunately, it looks as if I have another five months to wait before any futher treatment will start.
    I’ll continue with hormone injections.

  • Vivien Hall
    16 September 2023

    My daughter was diagnosed with grade 4 bladder cancer on 14th July 2023. She has still not started treatment. Is this because they know she’s going to die so they see no urgency in treating her. They can’t operate and she only saw the oncologist 10 days ago. It’s disgraceful. She is very distressed at the lack of treatment and this can’t be doing her any good physically either.

  • Carol Price
    3 September 2023

    I am not happy I have not had chemo for 6mths it is very stressful

  • Jerry Golding
    22 July 2023

    From my own experience, I cannot fault the care and treatment I have received from Oxford University NHS Trust.
    I was referred by my GP for tests on 14/02/23, received a phone call from my local hospital, The Horton General in Banbury, on the 15th inviting me for a CT Scan on the 16th, on the 16th I received another phone call this time from the endoscopy unit offering me an appointment on the 18th,…. bad news! On the 1st March I was sat in front of my consultant at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford getting the really bad news. I started palliative chemotherapy and immunotherapy on 29th March and have just completed my sixth and final cycle of chemo with immuno to continue. Perhaps I am lucky (well only sort of, because the outcome is now per-ordained) because of where I live and OUHNHSTrust includes the Churchill Hospital, an acknowledged cancer care unit. Finally, a big shout out to ALL the wonderful and caring staff, from Professor Ramon De Melo, Dr. (Consultant) Paul Miller, all the Macmillan nurses, all the nurses and staff at the Horton GH in Banbury and particularly those at the Brodey Center who administer the chemo/immuno therapies.

  • Lynette Higgins
    14 July 2023

    I waited 10 weeks for results of my two yearly scan! Consultant said well if it was good news I would have rang you within a couple of weeks! I started palliative chemo 16 weeks after my scan! The stress this has caused for me and my family is unimaginable. My cancer is not curable but it is treatable. At the time of the scan my cancer spread was small but 16 weeks down the line who knows!

  • Dr Sheila Cartwright
    13 July 2023

    These figures showing the many missed targets are absolutely shocking but don’t come as a surprise. As a former experienced RadiationOncologist in the north of England, I kept making awareness of delays in cancer diagnosis and treatment, particularly radiotherapy, in the public domain 30 years ago. The current dreadful missed target figures are a direct result of long term significant underfunding of cancer services by many governments and are extremely worrying.

Tell us what you think

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