Long-wait cancer patient list grows again

The backlog of urgent cancer referral patients who have waited 104 days or more for treatment has increased month-on-month again, internal NHS data reveals.

Data obtained by HSJ shows the total backlog of NHS patients waiting over three months for their first treatment since referral grew by 10% month-on-month, from 10,361 as of 26 June, to 11,212 by 28 August.

There are now nearly 341,000 patients are waiting to start their cancer treatment after being referred, the internal data also reveals.

Under current NHS rules, the 104-day point marks a “backstop” – beyond which any patient waiting longer than this for treatment should be reviewed for potential harm. The NHS has not achieved this target since 2014.

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Source: HSJ, 7 September 2022