NHS crisis hits cancer patients as nearly 70,000 are forced to wait ‘too long’ for vital care
Official figures reveal NHS hospitals missed targets for treating urgently-referred sufferers over the past three years
NEARLY 70,000 patients have been forced to wait too long for vital cancer care, official figures reveal.
NHS hospitals missed their targets for treating urgently-referred sufferers over the past three years.
It means one patient in five is forced to wait at least nine weeks for surgery or other life-saving action.
Hospitals are meant to treat 85 per cent of people suspected of having cancer within 62 days of their GP referring them.
But new figures show the government has failed to meet its target in every quarter since the end of 2013.
Just 82.1 per cent underwent their first treatment in time, meaning 6,450 waited longer than needed in the last quarter.
The figures heaped fresh embarrassment on Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, under fire over the crisis in over-stretched accident and emergency units.
Labour last night branded the cancer stats “absolutely shocking”.
Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: “It’s disgraceful that patients needing cancer treatment are being forced to wait so long.
“It’s now been three years since the Tories hit their two-month cancer target, and every month thousands of people are not getting the quick treatment the should be getting.