Response to Labour – cancer a priority for NHS

01 June 2023

In response to Labour Party analysis of the number of people waiting longer than two weeks for hospital appointments for suspected cancer, Miriam Deakin, director of policy and strategy at NHS Providers, said:

"Cancer is a priority for trust leaders who know the risks to patients who have to wait.

"There has been some progress as the NHS is consistently seeing more people for suspected cancer than before the pandemic and nearly three in four people referred now get a diagnosis or all-clear within 28 days. There has also been a recent improvement in the proportion of people receiving their first treatment within two months.

"But trusts know that too many people are waiting longer to start treatment after diagnosis. Severe staff shortages and insufficient capacity to meet growing demand affect cancer services alongside other services in the NHS which are overstretched. Trusts are doing everything they can to see patients as quickly as possible but they need more staff and resources.

"To improve cancer services it's vital that the government produces urgently its long-term NHS workforce plan, first promised in 2018 fully costed and fully funded to ensure that the NHS has the staff it needs to meet increased demand for cancer and other services."