Number of lung cancer patients not treated within two-month standard rises by 40% with some waiting more than a year

EMBARGO: IMMEDIATE RELEASE

• The number of lung cancer patients not treated within the 62-day standard from a referral has risen by 40% since 2019 to 3,750 last year
• One patient waited 481 days to begin treatment following a referral for lung cancer with hundreds waiting longer than four months for care in 2024
• Liberal Democrat MP Clive Jones, a cancer campaigner and cancer survivor himself, has now written to the Health Secretary following the closure of the call to evidence for the National Cancer Plan demanding a target for 100% of patients beginning treatment within 62-days

The number of lung cancer patients waiting longer than the 62-day referral to treatment standard has risen by 41% since 2019, with 3,750 patients enduring waits of at least two-months last year, Freedom of Information requests (FOIs) by Lib Dem MP Clive Jones’ office have revealed.

Jones’ office received responses from 65 of the 144 NHS Trusts meaning the true number of lung cancer patients not treated within the 62-day standard is likely far higher. From those Trusts that did respond, it showed that those treated outside of the 62-days rose from 2,660 in 2019, to 3,750 last year, a rise of 41%.

The data also revealed the number of people waiting more than four-months to receive treatment, more than double the time expected for the standard. It showed 717 people last year waiting at least four-months, double 2019’s figure of 356. Trusts also responded with the longest time that someone had waited to begin lung cancer treatment with Bedfordshire Hospitals reporting a wait of 481 days.

NHS Trusts are given a target of treating 85% of patients within the 62-day standard. The FOIs revealed that 55 of the 65 Trusts who responded missed that target, with some Trusts seeing three-quarters of patients treated more than 62-days after a referral.

15 of the Trusts who responded had at least half of their patients being treated outside the 62-day standard with Medway seeing 74%, Surrey and Sussex 69% and Norfolk and Norwich 68% of patients treated outside this window. At Whittington Health Trust a staggering 40% of patients were treated at least four-months after a referral.

Liberal Democrat MP for Wokingham, a cancer campaigner and cancer survivor himself, Clive Jones has now written to the Health Secretary following the closure of the call for evidence for the National Cancer Plan to demand a number of measures. These include a binding target to begin treatment after a referral within 62-days, targeted screening for prostate cancer and sustainable capital funding for radiotherapy machines.

Liberal Democrat MP for Wokingham, Clive Jones said:

“After surviving my battle with breast cancer, I know all too personally how scary getting a diagnosis can be and the impact it can have on yourself and your loved ones.

“Rebuilding our cancer services after years of neglect under the Conservatives has to be right at the top of the political agenda. It touches too many, either through our own battle or watching a loved one suffer, to be left in this state any longer.

“That is why I have written to the Health Secretary to lay out some immediate measures that he could take to alleviate this suffering and give all those that have to go through this anxiety and pain the best chance of coming out the other side.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

First reported by the Mirror here.

Freedom of Information request data on lung cancer treatment times can be found here.