Cancer treatment waiting times longest in Midlands

Waiting times for cancer treatment are longer in the Midlands than anywhere else in the country, a charity says.

Radiotherapy UK stated in the region 46.5% of cancer patients are waiting longer than 62 days for treatment after an urgent referral.

It said the percentage was 64.5% for the Birmingham and Solihull integrated care board areas.

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS trust said it was treating more patients this year than ever before.

Leaked data revealed by the Health Service Journal showed that for the trust 10% were not being treated within 104 days.

Radiotherapy UK has launched a campaign called Catch up with Cancer, appealing to people to support it by donating.

The charity's chair, Prof Pam Price, said: "There has been investment in the NHS, which we welcome of course, but the trouble is, it's not ringfenced for cancer treatments.

"We very welcome the new diagnostics they put in but there's not enough workforce and for treatment unless you've got treatment capacity, you're not going to get through those backlogs."

Radiotherapy UK director Sarah Quinlan stated: "No region in the UK is currently meeting the government's own targets for waiting times for cancer treatment. This is catastrophic."

Former Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham consultant John Glaholm said: "When I see a figure that almost half of cancer patients in the West Midlands are exceeding that 62-day target to start their cancer treatment, it's not acceptable.

"The major teaching hospital, the Queen Elizabeth, where I was a consultant for many years, looks as though it's the worst in the West Midlands region and explanations are required."

The University Hospitals Birmingham trust said it had opened two new wards at Queen Elizabeth hospital.

Two wards are coming on line at the trust's Heartlands Hospital in the city and at Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield.

The diagnostic treatment centre at Heartlands will come on line later this year.

The trust is also trying to get more doctors and nurses.

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