More than 300,000 cancer patients face long delays in their treatment over the next five years, charity warns

More than 300,000 cancer patients face lengthy delays to their treatment over the next five years unless the government improves the performance of the NHS, a charity warned last night.

According to Cancer Research UK forecasts, there will be 17.2 million emergency referrals for suspected cancer in England over the next five years.

The government’s target is that 85 percent of these patients should be treated within 62 days of an emergency referral. However, this target has not been achieved since 2015.

In England, 65.9 percent of cancer patients were treated within the target period in the first six months of this year, meaning that more than 30,000 patients did not start treatment on time.

More than 300,000 cancer patients face long delays in their treatment over the next five years unless the government improves the performance of the NHS, a charity warned last night

It was said the NHS was seeing more patients than ever before, but that an ageing and growing population had led to record numbers of cancer cases

Cancer Research UK predicts that by 2029 more than 301,000 people will not have received treatment in time, while the number of emergency referrals for suspected cancer will rise by a fifth, from 3.1 million in 2023 to around 3.75 million.

It said the NHS was seeing more patients than ever before, but an ageing and growing population had led to record numbers of cancer cases. Patients were also waiting too long to be diagnosed at all, not least because of a lack of staff and diagnostic equipment.

The analysis came a week after surgeon and former minister Lord Darzi released a major report on the NHS which found cancer care in England still lags behind that of other countries and has higher death rates.

His research found that between 2013 and 2021 there had been “no progress” in diagnosing cancer at the earliest stages one and two.

However, more recent figures indicate some improvement.

Cancer Research UK said a long-term cancer strategy was needed if the government was to meet its promises to meet targets. Chief executive Michelle Mitchell added: ‘Our health service does not have the resources it needs to cope with the record number of people diagnosed with cancer.

‘If no action is taken, things could be worse in five years.

‘We need long-term planning that provides the NHS with the equipment and staff it needs.’

Claire Rowney, chief executive of the Breast Cancer Now charity, said: “These grim figures highlight a devastating ‘new normal’ of long waits before people receive a diagnosis and can start treatment that will give them the best chance of survival.”