RECORD 2.7M JOIN CANCER BACKLOG

Experts demand urgent action as NHS referrals soar

- Giles Sheldrick

THE brutal impact of Covid on cancer treatment was laid bare last night as it was revealed a record 2.7 million joined the queue for diagnosis and care.

Health chiefs said unprecedented numbers of patients were referred to specialists between March 2021 and February this year. And NHS insiders are reported to be worried about how the under-pressure services will manage to cope with the giant pandemic backlog.

Thousands of patients were not identified as having symptoms during the two-year Covid emergency. Specialists who fear the final toll may take years to emerge called for urgent Government action.

Michelle Mitchell of Cancer Research UK said: "Cancer won't wait. We must improve waiting times for diagnosis and treatment to improve survival."

There are 367,000 fresh cases in Britain every year, equal to around 1,000 a day figures show. Ms Mitchell, the charity's chief executive, continued: "Too many affected by cancer are facing unacceptably long waits.

"We are some Government's way off meeting the target for diagnosis of 75 per cent of all cancer cases at the earliest stages by 2028.

To stand the best chance of meeting that target we need action to tackle staff shortages now. Our ambitions to dramatically improve early diagnosis of cancer in this country are dependent on it." World-leading oncologist and Daily Express columnist Professor Karol Sikora said: "The urgency of the cancer crisis is there for all to see and it is devastating.

"What we need are tangible solutions which can deliver for tens of thousands of people."

Dame Cally Palmer, National Cancer Director for NHS England, said: "We are going further and faster than ever before in our ambitions to diagnose more cancers at an earlier stage so we can save more lives.