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The Herald is front-paging an international study of the percentage who get radiotherapy or who get chemotherapy as if that was the only measure of success and with some average waiting times as opposed to the percentage treated within the target of 62 days.

The above graph from BBC Health in November 2022, is clear. Far fewer wait too long in Scotland than elsewhere in the UK.

By the end of 2023, the Scottish figure had worsened to 28% but in Wales it had risen to a shocking 47.1%!

In England? 35.2% wait more than 62 days if you believe anything that comes from there.

From August 2023:

Two-thirds of NHS cancer waiting time targets are expected to be scrapped in England, in a move the health service says aims to catch cancers earlier.

NHS bosses want to reduce the number of targets, most of which have been routinely missed in recent years, from nine to three.

They say the plan is backed by leading cancer experts and will simplify the “outdated” standards.

But the head of the Radiotherapy UK charity said she is “deeply worried”.

Pat Price, who is also an oncologist and visiting professor at Imperial College London, said current performance was “shockingly bad”, and while too many targets could be disruptive, “the clear and simple truth is that we are not investing enough in cancer treatment capacity”.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-66494983

Source:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-63573718

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