Breast and skin cancer patients in England have worst waiting time to see specialist

Recent analysis of NHS England data shows that patients with suspected breast and skin cancer have experienced the largest increase in waiting times urgently referred to a cancer specialist, with one in 20 patients now facing the longest waits.

 

An analysis by the Guardian newspaper has revealed that almost 10,000 patients referred by a GP to a cancer specialist had to wait for more than 28 days in July, double the targeted maximum 14-day waiting time.  Three-quarters of them were suspected of having skin, breast or lower gastrointestinal cancer.

 

In total, 53,000 people in England waited for longer than two weeks to see a cancer specialist, 22 per cent of all patients urgently referred for a cancer appointment by their GP.

 

Minesh Patel, Macmillan Cancer Support’s head of policy, said patients were waiting “far too long for diagnosis or vital treatment”.  Patients “are worried about the impact of these delays on their prognosis and quality of care.”

 

Matt Sample, policy manager at Cancer Research UK, said “The NHS has never worked harder,”, but patients dealing with long waits “reflects a broader picture of some of the worst waits for tests and treatments on record”.

 

“When just a matter of weeks can be enough for some cancers to progress, this is unacceptable.”

 

Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist team of clinical negligence lawyers have years of experience in medical negligence claims, providing support and guidance after life-changing events.  Not only do we represent clients in Yorkshire, but because of our reputation we also represent clients nationally.

 

If you believe that you or a relative may have been injured as a result of clinical/medical negligence, please call for free legal advice from our medical negligence solicitors on the freephone number below.

 

Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

 

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