Only half of cancer patients in Wales are being treated quickly enough, the latest figures have shown. Statistics published by the Welsh Government on Thursday show that just 52.9% of patients started their first treatment within 62 days of being suspected of having cancer in December 2022.
It is the second worst month since the Welsh Government's Suspected Cancer Pathway was introduced in August 2019, according to Cancer Research UK, with October 2022 being the worst. The charity has attributed many of the delays to "chronic workforce shortages" and has called for "urgent action".
The latest figures are also well below the Suspected Cancer Pathway performance target, which aims for 75% of patients to start treatment within 62 days of first suspecting cancer. This target has never been met. A spokesperson for the Welsh Government has said it continues to "prioritise the most urgent cases which can mean prioritising many people who have already been waiting over the 62 day cancer target."
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Speaking on Thursday, charity Cancer Research UK said treatment times for certain cancers were "particularly concerning." Gynaecological cancers and head and neck cancers currently have the longest waiting times, with just 25% of those patients starting treatment within 62 days. Next is sarcoma - the term for cancers that begin in the bones and soft tissues - at 33.3%.
Meanwhile, the proportion of people starting treatment within 62 days for lower gastrointestinal and urological cancers is currently 34.9% and 39.6% respectively. Some cancers had far more promising figures, such as skin (74.8%), brain/central nervous system (100%) and acute leukaemia (100%).
The figures also show that in December 2022 around 87,400 people were waiting for one of seven key diagnostic tests - which include MRI and CT scans - in Wales. Of these, 43.6% have been waiting eight weeks or more.
For example, endoscopy waiting lists had 64.7% (around 16,100) of people waiting eight or more weeks, while radiology waiting lists had 35.1% (around 21,900) waiting eight or more weeks. Waiting times also vary significantly across health boards in Wales.
Cwm Taf Morgannwg is seeing just 39% of patients starting treatment within 62 days of cancer first being suspected, while Betsi Cadwaldr sees 64.8% of patients within this time frame. No health board has met the 75% target since July 2020.
Katie Till, Cancer Research UK’s public affairs manager in Wales, said: “It’s unacceptable that only half of cancer patients in Wales are being treated quickly enough. Treatment delays for certain cancer types are particularly concerning. For example, only a quarter of people with a gynaecological cancer are receiving treatment within the recommended timeframe. Urgent action is needed as early diagnosis followed by swift access to the most effective treatment saves lives.
“Despite the best efforts of NHS staff, many of the delays are due to Wales’ chronic workforce shortages in the areas key to diagnosing and treating cancer. The new cancer improvement plan needs to be implemented at pace to stop this worrying trend of people not receiving treatment quickly enough so people in Wales have best chance of beating cancer.”
A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We continue to prioritise the most urgent cases which can mean prioritising many people who have already been waiting over the 62 day cancer target. In December, nearly 11,500 people were informed they did not have cancer, so were downgraded off the cancer pathway.
"We are investing heavily in cancer services to increase prevention and early detection and provide rapid access to investigation, treatment and high-quality cancer care. We recently announced £86 million for new cancer diagnostic and treatment facilities and are increasing the number of training places for specialists in cancer diagnosis, treatment and palliative care.”
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