The NHS is failing on key cancer targets, with some patients forced to wait more than 104 days from referral to treatment, damning figures reveal.
Almost all trusts failed to ensure 85 per cent of patients waited no more than 62 days in 2025, although there was wide variation in performance.
At the worst hospitals, fewer than half of patients were seen on time last year, according to NHS England data.
This risks cutting their survival odds, can make some treatments less effective and is likely to increase their anxiety.
The longstanding target of treating 85 per cent of patients within 62 days has not been met at a national level since 2014.
The Government has also set an interim target for trusts to treat 75 per cent of patients within this timeframe by March this year, in light of the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, only three of the 119 acute trusts with similar data achieved or exceeded the 85 per cent mark last year, while fewer than a quarter reached 75 per cent.
The three managing to meet the 85 per cent target in 2025 were Calderdale and Huddersfield (89.2 per cent of patients), Homerton Healthcare (85.8 per cent) and Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells (85.7 per cent).
The bottom three performing trusts were Mid & South Essex (seeing just 45.4 per cent of patients within 62 days), Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (50.1 per cent) and Hull University Teaching Hospitals (53.1 per cent).
At a couple of trusts, at least one in six patients who started cancer treatment in December 2025 had been waiting more than 104 days since an urgent referral.
Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: ‘Every cancer patient deserves access to timely, high-quality care.
‘Although NHS staff are working hard to cope with increasing pressure on cancer services, far too many people still face unacceptable delays for vital treatment.
‘The UK Government has set an important commitment to meet all cancer waiting times targets in England by 2029, but this can’t be achieved at the current rate of progress.
‘More investment in NHS workforce and equipment will be crucial to deliver genuine change for patients across the country.’
Across England as a whole, 69.1 per cent of patients (239,038 out of 345,847) started cancer treatment within 62 days last year, up slightly from 67.7 per cent (221,380 out of 327,221) in 2024, but well below the target.
Sadly, the NHS is not fit for purpose these days, but if we complain too much, our government will eventually privatise it. Better the devil we do know than the devil we don’t.
However, the mental torture these cancer patients must be going through is agony for them, their families and close friends. It is terrible all around, and we are all being conned about the supposed improvements to the NHS, but yet again, Starmer keeps going on about how he’s saved the NHS, but it’s in a worse state than ever, and Starmer is just attempting to save his bacon, but if piggies end up on our plates, then they’re not so clever, are you Sir Keir?
What does this government expect when we are being bombarded with illegals? Our NHS is now overwhelmed with foreigners who can’t even speak a word of English, and it will only get worse.
People like Starmer and his cronies don’t have to stress about getting treatment; they likely all have private health insurance, all probably paid by the taxpayer. Who’s standing on their doorsteps now, clapping? No one!
THE MONTHLY MOSQUITO 