How Covid is pushing up waiting lists for cancer treatment
New figures have quantified what the pandemic has meant for cancer waiting lists—and the impact is stark.
Official data show that 15,971 cancer patients in the UK have had to wait more than 124 days, or four months, after diagnosis for their treatment to start since 2020 as the pandemic sends waiting lists soaring. The statistics show that the number of untreated patients has more than doubled since Covid began, with one patient waiting for more than two years, according to data released following a freedom of information request from the Liberal Democrats. This is despite an NHS target for patients to receive cancer treatments within two months of an urgent referral.
Last year, 6,334 patients waited more than 124 days, compared to 2,922 in 2022, the figures show. Data was received from 69 out of 137 acute health trusts in the UK, meaning the true number of people waiting long periods for treatment is likely to be much higher. Over 1,100 cancer patients last year were left waiting more than six months to receive treatment, triple the NHS target time.
Liberal Democrat Leader, Ed Davey, said: “Every single one of these figures is a tragedy. Long delays for treatment can have a devastating impact on cancer patients and their families, and in certain cases can even cost lives."
Source: inews, 22 April 2024