Nearly all NHS trusts failing to hit cancer target

"Research shows getting treatment quickly is crucial, with every four-week delay reducing patient survival by an average of 10%. Dr Timothy Hanna, a leading global expert on cancer who led that research, said the BBC findings were "worrying". "It's not a few outliers. It's the norm for trusts in England to not hit these waiting time targets and they are set for a reason - timely treatment can improve survival rates.""

"He did not receive any further contact from his cancer services, despite his best efforts, until January this year. He eventually had surgery on his colon in February. Although his cancer has not spread to distant body parts, it had spread to nearby lymph nodes. "The waiting was horrendous and now I think that if I had been treated properly and not had to wait so long it wouldn't have progressed to stage three.""

"Hospitals say demand for testing and care is outstripping capacity. The BBC has also been told about when things go wrong, including scanning and radiotherapy machines breaking down, GP referral letters being lost and staffing issues mean appointments are cancelled at the last minute. BBC Verify looked at performance across every major cancer service in England over the past 12 months from September 2024 to August 2025."

Almost every hospital trust in England fails to meet the 62-day target for starting cancer treatment; only three of 121 trusts meet it. Research shows that every four-week delay in starting treatment reduces patient survival by an average of 10%. Patients have experienced long gaps between biopsy and further contact, delayed surgery, and progression to more advanced cancer stages. Hospitals report demand for testing and care outstripping capacity, equipment breakdowns, lost GP referral letters, and staffing problems causing last-minute cancellations. Performance across major cancer services in England was assessed for September 2024 to August 2025.

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