Rise in waiting times for first cancer treatment

The target set for the department is for 95% of patients given an urgent referral for suspected cancer to begin their treatment within 62 days.

The figures released on Wednesday show that, in September 2017, only 62% of the 368 patients who started their first treatment following an urgent referral did so within the two-month target period.

In July, the figure was 64.1% (205 out of 320 patients).

Alliance health spokesperson Paula Bradshaw said the figures are “evidence of the very real human cost of administrative and political failure”.

She added: “Without focusing on proper resourcing and transformation of services, alongside a comprehensive cancer strategy, we will not see this changed.”