NHS to replace flagship cancer waiting time target

Reports suggest plans to scrap two-thirds of cancer targets could be announced within days.

An announcement on changes to cancer targets in England is expected in the coming days, reports suggest (PA) (PA Wire)

Targets that ensure patients see a specialist within two weeks of being urgently referred by their GP for suspected cancer could be scrapped.

The NHS is set to announce new cancer targets this week which include the requirement for hospitals to have 75 per cent of patients diagnosed with cancer or told they don’t have it within 28 days.

It comes after new data revealed cancer wait times in England remain well below targets set by the Government and NHS.

The current two-week waiting time target requires a patient to have their first appointment within two weeks of being referred by GPs, however, this does not cover the time taken for diagnostic tests and reporting tests back to patients.

Cancer charities and doctors have said replacing the two-week waiting time target with the 28 days “faster diagnosis standard” will be “helpful” and a “step-forward” for patients actually suffering from cancer.

It is hoped the new targets, first reported by The Sunday Times, will help pick up cancer faster.

However, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused the Government of “moving the goalposts”.

Sir Keir said: “I want swifter diagnosis, of course I do – both for the individuals concerned and obviously for the health service.

“The way to do that is to have a health service that’s fit for the future. We haven’t got one. I’ve set out a plan for that which involves people, technology and reform.

“With this Government, it’s targets that they’ve repeatedly failed to hit. And now what they’re doing is moving the goalposts and even where they’re keeping targets after this streamlining, there’s targets they’re still not hitting.”

A consultation on the cancer target plans started last year and said the current two-week wait sets no expectation of when patients should receive test results or have a confirmed diagnosis.

Under the Faster Diagnosis Standard, patients who have been urgently referred, have symptoms of breast cancer, or have been picked up through screening, should have cancer ruled out or receive a diagnosis within 28 days.

Those with cancer should receive their first treatment within a month of a decision to treat after diagnosis – known as the 31-day decision to treatment standard – while those who have been diagnosed will start treatment within nine weeks from the date of referral, known as the 62-day referral to treatment standard.

The NHS has not hit the 28-day faster diagnosis target since it was introduced as a trial in April 2021. The latest data shows in June 73 per cent of patients were either diagnosed or had cancer ruled out within the timeframe.

Dr Tom Roques, Vice President of the Royal College of Radiologists said the faster diagnosis standard is a “far better” measure than the two-week wait and that measuring the time it takes to get an all-clear from cancer or a diagnosis is a more “meaningful” measure to patients and the NHS.

“We have a very long way to go with cancer performance. We have been missing the main referral to treatment target for many years. The time from referral to diagnosis is where the biggest bottlenecks are, and this is so important to fix because early diagnosis is key to improving cancer survival.”

“It’s disappointing that we aren’t yet meeting this new target, although it is not surprising given the extent of the workforce shortfalls we have in cancer. The Faster Diagnosis Standard is a step forward for patients in its current form, and we hope that in time it will be set at a more ambitious level. To make this possible, so that more patients get the timely diagnosis and treatment they deserve, we need to see concerted action from the Government to increase cancer capacity.”

The clear and simple truth is that we are not investing enough in cancer treatment capacity and getting the whole cancer pathway working

Prof Pat Price

Oncologist Professor Pat Price, who is co-founder of the #CatchUpWithCancer campaign, said: “While we agree chasing too many targets can be disruptive and divert resources away from the main patient 62-day treatment target, poor performance is not as a result of how we are measuring it.

“The clear and simple truth is that we are not investing enough in cancer treatment capacity and getting the whole cancer pathway working.”

New figures published by NHS England last Thursday showed cancer wait times remain well below targets set by the Government and health service.

In June, 261,006 urgent cancer referrals were made by GPs in England, up 6 per cent on 245,595 in May and 13 per cent year-on-year from 231,868 in June 2022.

Some 80.5 per cent of patients saw a specialist within two weeks, down from 80.8 per cent in May but below the target of 93 per cent, which was last met in May 2020.

To accelerate research, boost our cancer workforce, and diagnose more cancers earlier there must be long-term funding and a clear strategy from the UK Government

Naser Turabi, Cancer Research UK

On Thursday, Naser Turabi, Cancer Research UK’s director of evidence and implementation, said current missed targets “represent years of underinvestment” by the Government.

“These unacceptable waits can be turned around with political leadership on cancer,” he added.

Health Secretary, Steve Barclay would not be drawn into claims that two-thirds of cancer targets will be scrapped.

Asked about the newspaper reports by BBC Breakfast, the Health Secretary said: “There is a consultation at the moment, the story relates to a leak, and ministers don’t comment on leaks.”

He had earlier said: “This is something led by clinicians working in cancer.

“It is not something being imposed by the Government, it is in response to requests by those working in the cancer field and any changes, if they are announced in the coming days, will be in consultation with the leading cancer charities.”