There is still a long way to go to overcome the damage caused by the pandemic to cancer care, according to NHS England’s recently published Cancer Waiting Times data for August 2021.
The number of people being seen by a specialist for suspected cancer in London following an urgent referral by their GP was close to 33,000 in August 2021 and the total number of people who have seen a specialist for suspected cancer since the pandemic began remains more than 75,000 lower than expected (a drop of 13%).
The number of people starting treatment for cancer in London in August 2021 was about 3,000,[iv] and the total number of people starting cancer treatment in London since the start of the pandemic is still more than 4,600 lower than expected (a drop of 8%)[v].
Emma Tingley, Head of Partnerships at Macmillan Cancer Support, said:
“It is disappointing to see that both cancer referrals and treatments in London are not at high enough levels to reduce the size of the backlog created by the pandemic. There is clearly still a lot of work to be done to get cancer services back on track and tackle the backlog. The Government must urgently provide the long-term investment needed to grow and support the cancer workforce, which was severely overstretched even before the pandemic.
“Healthcare professionals and staff across the capital work tirelessly to offer the best possible care, support people and save lives. Macmillan supports professionals and thousands of Londoners with cancer or cancer symptoms who may have faced disruption to their treatment or appointments.”
