Cancer Treatment

Health written question – answered at on 1 November 2006.

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Photo of David Evennett David Evennett Opposition Whip (Commons)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for cancer treatment in the London borough of Bexley was in (a) 1997 and (b) 2001.

Photo of Rosie Winterton Rosie Winterton The Minister of State, Department of Health

The information for 1997 is not held centrally by the Department.

The first published data on the 31-day target for referral to treatment for rare cancers and for the 31-day target for diagnosis to treatment for breast cancer was 2001-02 quarter four as shown on the following table. Data have been used from Bromley Hospital National Health Service Trust, Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust and Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust. Queen Mary's Sidcup did not have any rare cancer referrals in 2001-02 quarter four.

Number of patients treated for children's cancer, testicular cancer and acute leukaemia, and proportion of patients starting treatment within 31 days of GP referral, in Bexley region 2001-02—quarter 4
Total number of patients treated during the quarter Percentage of patients treated within 31 days of referral
Bexley region(1) 3 100
England 342 95.6
(1) Figures are for Bromley Hospital NHS Trust and Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust. Source: CWT-Db, Department of Health
Number of patients treated for breast cancer, and proportion of patients starting treatment within 31 days of diagnosis, in Bexley region 2001-02—quarter 4
Total number of patients treated during the quarter Percentage of patients treated within 31 days of referral
Bexley region(1) 103 99.0
England 6,315 94.2
(1) Figures are for Bromley Hospital NHS Trust, Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust and Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust. Note: The NHS Cancer Plan sets out new goals to reduce waiting times for diagnosis and treatment. The ultimate goal is that no one should wait longer that one month from an urgent referral for suspected cancer to the beginning of treatment except for a good clinical reason or through patient choice, it is hoped to achieve this by 2008. For some uncommon cancers like acute leukaemia, children's and testicular cancer, this is what most patients already experience. For those patients that are routinely referred but subsequently diagnosed with cancer there will be a maximum one month wait from diagnosis to treatment by the end of 2005. There will also be a maximum two month wait from urgent GP referral to treatment for all cancers by 2005. There is a series of staged milestones towards this goal: Maximum one month wait from urgent GP referral to treatment guaranteed for children's and testicular cancers and acute leukaemia by 2001. Maximum one month wait from diagnosis to treatment for breast cancer by 2001. Maximum two month wait from urgent GP referral to treatment for breast cancer by 2002. Maximum one month wait from diagnosis to treatment for all cancers from 2005. Maximum two month wait from urgent GP referral to treatment for all cancers from 2005. Source: CWT-Db, Department of Health

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