Lord Darzi Report Highlights Urgent Cancer Treatment Improvements

The recent report of Lord Darzi, when discussing how the NHS is in critical condition, highlighted that cancer diagnosis and treatment is a particularly significant issue requiring urgent improvement. He outlined how cancer care in the UK still lags behind other countries with higher cancer mortality rates and no progress being made in diagnosing cancer at an early stage between 2013 and 2021.

 

Reinforcing this, the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership has released data showing how many cancer diagnoses there were before and after the pandemic and also the staging of the cancers at diagnosis for various counties, including Australia, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand and Norway, as well as the UK. Mark Lawler, the Chair of the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership, predicts of tsunami of cancer diagnoses on the basis of the statistics.

Statistics Show Diagnosis Drop

The statistics are certainly horrifying. Results showed that, in 2020, due to the effects of the pandemic, all counties experienced a drop in cases diagnosed but that the UK had the biggest and most sustained falls in the diagnosis of lung, breast, colorectal and skin cancers. Breast cancer diagnoses dropped by 35% compared to 24% in Norway and 14% in Denmark, whilst lung cancer diagnoses dropped by 16% compared to 10% in Norway and 1% in New Zealand. The drop in cases diagnosed was largest for early stage cancers, partly due to the suspension of screening programmes.

Not only this but whilst most countries had caught up again with diagnoses within the year, the UK had not recovered its diagnosis rate by the end of 2020.

Professor Pat Price, an Oncologist from Imperial College London, co-founder of the ‘Catch up with Cancer’ campaign and a medico legal expert who is used by Williamsons on a regular basis, describes the figures as ‘a timely and devastating confirmation of the colossal cancer crisis. Without urgent action, we will see more patients diagnosed at a later stage and more patients facing delays to treatment… If ever there was a time to deliver and implement a dedicated cancer recovery plan it is now.’

Study by Cancer Research UK

A study was carried out by Cancer Research UK, looking at data in the cancer registry of approximately 14,300 people who were diagnosed in England in one year and specifically considering avoidable delays. Data showed that 13% of all avoidable delays happened before the patient saw their GP and 38% after the GP referred them to hospital. The other half (49%) happened while the patient was being assessed by the GP surgery, including waiting for tests to be done and results to come back. The effect of this is that nearly 3,400 patients waited around two months longer to be diagnosed compared with those who did not have an avoidable delay. According to Cancer Research UK, this is an indication of staffing shortages among diagnostic staff in hospitals.

A prompt diagnosis can significantly improve your chances of beating this increasingly common disease and so these issues with cancer diagnosis can have catastrophic implications from the patients experiencing the delays.

At Williamsons Solicitors, we deal with a large variety of Clinical Negligence compensation claims including missed and delayed diagnosis of cancer. Our specialist Clinical Negligence Department has more than 35 years’ combined experience in the field and we are recognised by top industry bodies including The Law Society.

If you or a family member have been a victim in any missed or delayed diagnosis of cancer by treatment received from the NHS, a Private hospital or any other health professional, please contact our experienced Clinical Negligence Department on 01482 323697 to discuss how we can help.