Latest figures reveal pandemic’s impact on Leeds cancer services

New figures have revealed the toll the pandemic continues to take on people waiting for cancer tests or treatments, despite the best efforts of healthcare staff who are said to have gone “above and beyond” to keep the services going.

Although hospital bosses have maintained their focus on the top two priority groups throughout this latest wave – cancer and clinically urgent – data shows that many have gone undiagnosed with treatments and tests disrupted.

The figures show that the percentage of patients receiving their first treatment at Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust within 62 days of an urgent referral by their GP had fallen to a record low by January of this year, with just 58.8 per cent, against the NHS standard of 85-90 per cent.

A report to an upcoming hospital board meeting says this “remains within normal process control limits” and ranks the trust 116 out of 137 nationwide.

The 62-day patient backlog stands currently at 254 patients, the report adding “Within this, confirmed cancers have grown from 74 to 95, meaning that the majority of the current backlog in the diagnostic stage as unconfirmed cancer.”

In addition, cancer patient numbers undergoing tests within 14 days of a GP referral was down to 67.4 per cent for January 2021, a substantially lower figure than the national target of 93 per cent.

In their latest board papers, Leeds Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said urgent referral rates had now mostly returned to pre-pandemic levels, despite a dip during the peak in January.

“However, there continues to be some areas where referrals continue to remain higher and presenting challenges from a capacity point of view including breast, lower GI and gynaecology.

“There is ongoing work with the Cancer Alliance to identify opportunities for joint working and discussions with the Harrogate hospital to help with some Breast two-week-wait patients as this is a particular area of concern despite additional clinics being arranged.”

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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of 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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