As of the 1st October 2023, the standards measuring waiting times for cancer diagnosis and treatment have been modernised and simplified.
The NHS has moved from ten different standards to three:
- Faster Diagnosis Standard: a diagnosis or ruling out of cancer within 28 days of referral (set at 75%).
- 31-day treatment standard: commence treatment within 31 days of a decision to treat for all cancer patients (set at 96%).
- 62-day treatment standard: commence treatment within 62 days of being referred or consultant upgrade (set at 85%).
The main changes include:
- Removing the Two-Week Wait standard which requires all cancer referrals to be ‘seen’ within two weeks and replacing it with the Faster Diagnosis Standard, mainly due to the advent of straight to test pathways, the modern reality and convenience of remote consultations, and the impending technological revolution offered by artificial intelligence.
- The Faster Diagnosis Standard that has been reported by NHS trusts since October 2021, including urgent suspected cancer, screening and breast symptomatic referrals.
- Combining together the three existing 62-day targets (A) Urgent Suspected Cancer referral, (B) screening and (C) consultant upgrade into a single standard. Note that cases referred to a Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) should now be recorded as a consultant upgrade, and these will be counted within the 62-day combined standard together with (A) and (B) above.
- Combining together the four existing 31-day targets applying to first treatment and each of three possible subsequent treatments for radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery into a single standard.
There is no change to the way GPs refer patients onto Urgent Suspected Cancer pathways. The only change is that the NHS will measure how well it is dealing with those referrals by looking at the speed of actual diagnosis, not whether the patient has a first appointment within a fortnight.
This follows a consultation in 2022 where these recommendations received widespread backing from cancer specialists and patients.
The following pathway explains a simplified process of how the targets are measured if you were referred by your General Practitioner (GP.)
Source: National Cancer Programme Team
1. The 28 day Faster Diagnosis standard – the target is that 75% of patients referred for suspected cancer via the GP, screening or breast symptomatic pathway should receive a diagnosis within 28days.
2. The 31day decision to treat standard – the target is that 96% of patients should receive treatment within 31days from an agreed decision on treatment. This includes both first treatment for cancer and subsequent treatments for cancer when a patient is clinically ready for that treatment.
3. The 62day referral to treatment standard – the target is that 85% of patients should receive treatment from referral within 62days/. This includes referrals from a GP, from a screening programme and if a patient was referred to a Multi-disciplinary team within a Hospital with suspected cancer.
More information is available on the NHS website.