Wigan cancer patients waiting longer for treatment

One in seven Wigan cancer patients had been waiting longer than two months for treatment in October, new figures reveal.

With hospitals in England missing national waiting times targets for cancer, routine surgery and A&E treatment, health experts have warned that the new government’s attention-grabbing policy pledges will not save a health service in critical condition.

In Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust (WWL), 86 per cent of cancer patients started treatment within 62 days of an urgent GP referral, the latest NHS Digital statistics show.

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It means nine waited longer than two months. That said the trust exceeded the 85 per cent target introduced a decade ago, although performance has dipped, the figure being 89.5 six months ago.

Nationally, this target has not been achieved since December 2015.

A WWL spokeswoman said: “Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh has seen a recent decline in performance, although the Trust remains above the national threshold.

“This is not just a Wigan trend but a regional and nationally also.

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“During the summer months WWL had some challenges with capacity for some diagnostics and clinics for certain specialities, which in turn lead to longer waiting times for first appointments and tests, therefore making achieving day 62 for all patients more challenging.

“Our average GP referral to treatment waiting times for October was 39.6 days.

“Patient choice can also affect how long patients wait for their treatment, alongside other medical conditions that can make diagnosis and treating more difficult.

“WWL reviews all cases that are treated beyond day 62 and, where appropriate, takes action to improve.”

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At the latest count, only 77 per cent of NHS patients in England received cancer treatment within two months.

Hospitals throughout the country are now missing five of eight key targets for cancer waiting times.

Officials blame mounting delays on shortages of staff and equipment, as well as beds blocked by patients needing social care.

Combined, these pressures have left the NHS braced for its worst winter on record.

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Sarah Woolnough, Cancer Research UK’s executive director of policy and information, called the figures “shocking”.

She said: “Cancer waiting times are being missed year on year, and we’re still not seeing the urgent action needed to fix this. Although staff are working harder than ever, there just aren’t enough to diagnose and treat cancer effectively.

“More people than ever are left waiting too long after an urgent GP referral to get a diagnosis and start treatment – delays which will make an already incredibly anxious and worrying time even worse.”

Dr Rebecca Fisher, senior policy fellow at the Health Foundation, warned that the funding boost “falls short” of requirements.

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“The NHS needs an increase of £20bn by 2023-24 “just to maintain standards of care”, she added.

An NHS spokesman said: that “NHS teams across the country are providing a record-breaking level of care”, but warned that norovirus and flu are impacting local services more heavily than last year.