Suspected cancer patients in Coventry and Warwickshire waiting too long for treatment

Three in ten patients suspected to have cancer at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire are waiting too long for treatment.

Just 71.4 per cent of patients urgently referred by their GP with suspected cancer had started treatment within two months in September - the trust’s worst performance since records began in October 2009.

The target is that at least 85 per cent of such patients start treatment with two months.

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire also reported a record-worst performance for patients newly diagnosed with cancer.

Targets suggest 96 per cent of those should start treatment within a month.

In September, at the trust, it was 94 per cent.

South Warwickshire NHS Trust - which runs hospitals in Warwick and Stratford - and George Eliot Hospital NHS trust in Nuneaton both missed the target for urgently referred patients to start treatment within two months in September, at 83.2 per cent and 66.7 per cent respectively.

George Eliot hit the target for newly diagnosed patients to start treatment within a month, at 100 per cent, but it was just missed at South Warwickshire at 95.6 per cent.

At South Warwickshire, just 57.1 per cent of patients newly diagnosed with cancer had the surgery they needed within a month in September, the target is 94 per cent.

Why is UHCW missing the target?

A spokesman for University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust said its cancer care was "consistently amongst the best in the country".

They said shortages in specialist staff had seen waiting times rise, while a spike in demand for cancer tests following the diagnosis of high profile celebrities had also seen workload soar.

They added: “As a specialist cancer centre we are diagnosing and treating more people than ever before and yet despite this, our performance has been consistently amongst the best in the country.

"In September we did experience a temporary dip in our performance which was due in part to a national shortage of specialist staff.

"Unfortunately this delayed the treatment of a small number of our patients who would normally have been diagnosed and treated within the 62 day target.

"Additionally, like other hospitals we did also see a spike in demand for tests following the diagnosis of high profile celebrities.

"Our priority is to provide patients with the best care and I am confident that despite the increasing demands on the service we will continue to do so.”

'Operational measures in place'

Over at George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton, operational measures have been put in place to try and improve targets for cancer patients.

A spokesman for the George Eliot Hospital NHS trust said: “Patient care is our priority and the hospital usually exceeds the 62-day standard of 85 per cent.

"We have now put in place a number of operational measures to address these delays, including working with our partners who support us in sampling tissue.

"We expect to see an improvement in the near future."

What South Warwickshire said

A dedicated action plan has also been put in place for hospitals in South Warwickshire.

A spokesman for South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust said targets had been missed because hospitals were seeing a large rise in the number of patients requiring treatment for cancer.

They added: “Meeting the cancer performance targets is a significant priority for the organisation.

"Although performance has been improving month on month, there have been particular challenges for all cancer services which have resulted in missing national targets.

"The Trust has seen a large increase in the number of patients requiring treatment and complex testing.

"The Trust recognises the importance of ensuring cancer patients receive timely diagnosis and treatment and has implemented a dedicated action plan to help achieve the national targets."

The national picture

Across England, five out of eight cancer waiting targets were missed in September.

Dr Fran Woodard, executive director of policy and impact at Macmillan Cancer Support, said the figures were evidence of a worrying trend.

“We must not forget that at the heart of these figures are thousands of cancer patients anxiously waiting for referral for diagnosis or to start treatment.

“It is imperative the Government now seizes the once-in-a-generation opportunity to address the challenges facing the workforce in the NHS Long Term Plan.

"We cannot expect world-class cancer care for patients in the future without enough staff with the right skills to deliver it.”

Nationally, just 78.2 per cent of patients urgently referred by their GP with suspected cancer started treatment within two months, the second lowest proportion on record.

A target that patients referred through screening services should start treatment within two months was also missed.

The target that patients diagnosed with cancer should be given necessary surgery within a month was also missed, with 92.6 per cent treated in a month - this was the worst performance since records began in October 2009.

While the overall target that patients diagnosed with cancer start treatment within a month was hit, the achieved rate of 96.2 per cent - barely above the 96 per cent target - was also the worst performance on record.

Targets that patients urgently referred with suspected cancer should see a consultant within two weeks, and another that those with breast cancer symptoms should see a consultant within two weeks, were both missed.

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