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Ministers and NHS leaders in the UK have been cautioned against merely adjusting targets for cancer care, instead of addressing the need for increased treatment capacity. The government claims that any changes made are driven by senior clinicians.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay hinted at potential revised targets, acknowledging that the government has been consulting on changes. The Sunday Times reported that seven cancer waiting time targets would be eliminated, leaving only three key pledges.
Barclay did not confirm specific revisions, but he stated that any changes would be made in consultation with leading cancer charities and clinical specialists within the field.
The government’s handling of cancer care has faced criticism from Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who accused them of cynically moving the goalposts. Streeting emphasized the urgency of reducing waiting times and questioned the effectiveness of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak if he fails to do so.
Pat Price, a visiting oncology professor and co-founder of the Catch Up with Cancer campaign, expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s focus on target adjustments amid the crisis. She criticized the current state of cancer care and highlighted the lack of investment in treatment capacity. Price revealed that she and her colleagues have proposed ideas to increase capacity, but their requests for a meeting with Barclay have been denied.
Barclay responded to Price’s claim by stating that he is willing to have a meeting with her.
A consultation has been ongoing since last year regarding a new “faster diagnosis standard” that aims to provide timely diagnoses for patients with urgent referrals. Additionally, the target for patients to start treatment within a month of agreeing to a treatment plan is expected to remain, along with another target for patients to start treatment within nine weeks of referral.
However, targets such as the two-week urgent referral from a GP to a specialist for suspected cancer and the two-week maximum wait for breast cancer patients to see a specialist are likely to be abandoned due to concerns that they contribute to treatment delays.
Barclay will make the final decision on any changes once the recommendations from the consultation are published later this week.
It is worth noting that the UK currently has 10 key cancer performance targets, many of which have not been met for a considerable period. Last year, research revealed that the UK lags behind other countries in terms of cancer survival rates.
Cancer Research UK supports the proposed changes, stating that they represent more meaningful targets. Professor Sir Stephen Powis, the National Medical Director of NHS England, also backs the proposals, highlighting that they have been put forward by leading cancer experts and will ultimately benefit patients by enabling early diagnosis and treatment.
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