Cancer patients are waiting too long to be seen

People in Rochdale are enduring long waits for urgent cancer appointments – but a specially formed task force is working hard to turn things around.

New figures show that some patients in Rochdale are waiting more than two weeks for initial consultations and longer than 62 days for their first treatment, as crucial targets are missed.

A cancer improvement committee (CIC) formed by the Northern Care Alliance has been tasked with advising health chiefs in Rochdale and across north east Greater Manchester on bringing down waiting times and enhancing patients’ experiences.

Dr Carolyn Walker, cancer clinical lead for Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group (HMR CCG), said: “Improving waiting times for the referral of cancer and suspected cancer patients remains a priority for the CCG, the local hospital trust and the specialist provider.

“As a result of prioritising cancer performance we have been able to find resources to alleviate staff shortages in this important area which will result in better services and experiences for patients”

Latest figures reported show that around a quarter of patients presenting symptoms of the disease are not being seen by a specialist within two weeks of being referred by their GP.

The most recent figures – for December – show a big improvement, with close to the target 93% being seen within the two-week window.

However, just over three-quarters of patients have been given timely appointments over the year-to-date (spanning April to December 2018).

Health officials say the much better showing in December was due to extra endoscopy sessions for those with gastrointestinal symptoms, as well as a reduction in referral rates during that period.

There is less encouraging news when it comes to signs of suspected breast cancer.

Over the year to date more than a quarter of patients have not been seen within two weeks, and the most recent figures are in line with the annual trend.

And the target for patients to begin their first treatment for cancer within 62 days of an urgent GP referral is also not being met. The most recent figures show that 75% of patients have been seen within this timescale, 10% below target.

However the most recent figures (again for December) are the strongest for the year-to-date.

Senior staff at HMR CCG say the decline in performance is due to consultant and staffing issues at Northern Care Alliance (NCA) – which merges Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust and Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

They describe these shortages as being ‘reflective of the position nationally’.

However, the NCA takes a different view – stating that high referral rates, rather than staffing issues are behind the problem.

Mr Andrew Baldwin, a divisional clinical director at the NCA, said: “Our breast cancer service does not have any consultant vacancies at present.

“We have recently recruited a new consultant doctor and we are also currently recruiting for an advanced nurse practitioner to further strengthen our team, and to improve available capacity at the front end of the pathway.

“Issues with performance of the breast cancer service are currently being driven by a continued upturn in the referral rate.”

Papers also show that only 40% of Rochdale patients receiving treatment in December at The Christie received first treatment within 62 days.

HMR CCG says this is partly down to the high number of complex cases, for which finding the correct type of care can ‘take time’ – but is also due to ‘issues with the receipt of the necessary referral proformas from NCA’.

A spokesman for The Christie said the centre recognised that delays in treatment were of ‘great concern’ to patients, and was committed to addressing the issue.

They added: “It is important to clarify that the 62 day wait time is the total time from when a patient is referred by a GP to them starting treatment. This means patients visit a local hospital first, and then may be referred on to The Christie or another specialist hospital for treatment.

“Because of the nature of some complex cancer cases, patients are often seen in a number of hospitals for a variety of tests and investigations that they need before their cancer specialists can make a decision about their treatment. This may mean that it is some time before patients actually begin their treatment at The Christie.”

Nick Statham, Local Democracy Reporter