Nearly all NHS trusts failing to hit cancer target

Almost every hospital trust in England is failing to meet the key NHS waiting time target for cancer care, BBC analysis shows.

Just three trusts out of 121 in England are treating cancer patients quickly enough - within 62 days - with experts warning delays could be putting lives at risk.

The government accepted waits were too long, but said it was investing in the NHS to improve performance.

Research shows getting treatment quickly is crucial, with every four-week delay reducing patient survival by an average of 10%.

Dr Timothy Hanna, a leading global expert on cancer who led that research, said the BBC findings were "worrying".

"It's not a few outliers. It's the norm for trusts in England to not hit these waiting time targets and they are set for a reason - timely treatment can improve survival rates."

Paul, who has stage three colon cancer, is one of many patients who has faced delays. His first biopsy was taken in January 2024 when cancer was suspected.

He did not receive any further contact from his cancer services, despite his best efforts, until January this year. He eventually had surgery on his colon in February.

“The waiting was horrendous and now I think that if I had been treated properly and not had to wait so long it wouldn't have progressed to stage three,” Paul said.

He is due to have further surgery next year.

Read full story

Source: BBC News, 11 November 2025