Welsh Government continues to fail Cancer Waiting List targets

The Welsh Government has failed to meet the 95% Urgent route target from diagnoses to treatment, for cancer patients, in 62 days.

According to Welsh Government data published today, the proportion of people starting treatment within 62 days is 88.6%[i]. This is an improvement of only 1.5% since April 2012, when the statistics were first released.

Furthermore, there has been noticeable declines in performance by Local Health Board.

Aneurin Bevan LHB has seen those starting treatment within 62 days decline from 98.3% in April 2012, to 90.4% in the latest figures[ii]. Meanwhile, month-on-month, there has been a decline from 92.7% (April), to 90.4% (in May).

Cardiff and Vale LHB has also seen a marked decline, from 91.1% in April 2012, to 85.5% in May 2016[iv].

Commenting on these figures, Welsh Conservative Shadow Spokesperson for Health, Angela Burns AM, said:
“It is clear from the data that those diagnosed with cancer are facing backlogs in accessing critical treatment for a life-threatening condition.
“With patients in Wales seven times less likely to access the latest cancer drugs, than in England[v], we simply cannot continue to subject Welsh patients to this inequality of service.
“The Labour-led Welsh Government must work, proactively, to look at how cancer treatment is delivered across other parts of the UK, and Europe, in order to remove this bottleneck.

“The Welsh Conservatives will continue to scrutinise these outcomes until we see tangible outcomes which fundamentally improve the access to treatment for those requiring critical cancer care”.