Disappointment over cancer care target 'failures'
HEALTH bosses say its "disappointing" they are failing to meet patient cancer targets.
But chiefs at Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board stressed the majority of people were being seen at its hospitals in Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot and Bridgend on time.
Latest figures for December show 12 out of 79 patients failed to start their treatment within the urgent suspected cancer target of 62 days.
Four out of 102 patients have failed to be seen within the non-urgent suspected cancer target of 31 days.
Hamish Laing, director of acute care at Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board, at its Swansea Civic Centre meeting, said: "It's disappointing we have not achieved the target.
"The vast majority of people with cancer are being seen within the required time — 90 per cent or more.
"It's a huge anxiety for the patients.
"We want to make sure all patients are seen within a timely fashion.
"It's not a common problem across each site."
Mr Laing said the organisation was working with other health boards to turn the situation around.
"We are working closely with our patients being treated in Hywel Dda Health Board," he added.
The director of acute care also said a diagnostic centre in Neath Port Talbot Hospital would also help to make a difference this spring.
Concerns were previously raised that hundreds of patients across Wales were facing lengthy waits for treatment.
The Welsh NHS compared badly with the service in both England and Scotland when it comes to hitting the two-month target.
And the situation has led to more than one in ten cancer patients in Wales needing immediate attention being left at risk of lifelong complications due to delays over their treatment.
Hospital staff have been unable to start treatment within the two-month target.
Doctors would prefer cancer patients not to wait longer than a month to be treated but the NHS target right across Britain is two months.
Welsh Health Minister Lesley Griffiths has pledged "urgent action" to improve the situation.
Latest Welsh Government statistics showed for the quarter up to the end of September 2011, that 89 per cent of patients newly diagnosed with cancer via the urgent suspected cancer route started definitive treatment within 62 days of receipt of referral at the hospital.
A total of 99 per cent of patients newly diagnosed with cancer not via the urgent suspected cancer route started definitive treatment within 31 days of diagnosis.
The figures showed 143 urgent Welsh cancer patients — or 11 per cent of the total number of patients — were left waiting for more than two months before they began treatment.
Findings show only 6.8 per cent of urgent cancer patients waited too long over the same period in England.
In Scotland, a total of 4.4 per cent of patients waited too long to be seen according to the most recent available figures.
The waiting times for cancer patients in Wales varies depending on what type of cancer they have.
A total of one per cent of breast cancer sufferers are not being seen within the two-month target compared to 26 per cent of head and neck cancer patients who are being forced to wait too long.
elizabeth.perkins@swwmedia.co.uk
Comments
by GorsseinonJoe
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 11:43AM
“Why is Wales so bad at treating NHS patients and in this case people who most need to be seen as early as possible? It isn't good enough for the spin to be put on this by saying"It's not a common problem across each site." If this is the case surely there should be a form of transfer where patients can be seen in those sites who are not performing pay for the transport to a site that is performing and the charges for treatment incurred are charge to the non performing site? We would soon see an improvement in the non performing sites if it hit them in the pocket rather than the worthless apologies to the patients. One in Ten patients are NOT seen on time in Wales 4.4% in Scotland so the "rural" argument is not valid so it is down to management of resources, finance and commitment. England and Scotland seem to have these and use them more wisely than those who are managing the NHS in Wales, Health Trusts and politicians. Action not excuses needed please.”