The government has confirmed that two-thirds of NHS England cancer targets will be scrapped by the autumn as it aims to bring cancer care “into the modern era”.
The new guidelines will see the 10 targets currently in place reduced to three – and the two-week wait target will be scrapped in favour of the Faster Diagnosis Standard.
Labour has accused Rishi Sunak of “moving the goalposts and cutting standards for patients” rather than cutting waiting times, which is one of his five pledges.
As it stands, 93% of people referred urgently by their GP with suspected cancer must be seen by a specialist within 14 days – although that target has not been achieved since early 2018.
The new Faster Diagnosis Standard was initially introduced in April 2021, and has been under “rigorous consultation”, according to the government.
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2:25
Cancer target scrapped in England
The aim is for 75% of patients to be told within 28 days of referral whether or not they have cancer, reducing anxiety for patients and speeding up treatment pathways.
However, since the new standard was introduced 16 months ago, the target has not once been met, according to research from the House of Commons library.
The new targets for NHS England cancer care are as follows:
• The 28-day Faster Diagnosis Standard, under which patients with suspected cancer referred by a GP should be diagnosed within 28 days;
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• The 62-day referral to treatment to ensure patients who have been referred and diagnosed should start treatment within that time frame;
• The 31-day decision to treat – this means patients with a cancer diagnosis should have a decision made on their first or subsequent treatment and should start it within 31 days.
Image: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Steve Barclay speaking to staff during a visit to Rivergreen Medical Centre in Nottingham in June
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, national NHS medical director, said: “The NHS is already catching more cancers at an earlier stage, when they are easier to treat than ever before and the Faster Diagnosis Standard will allow us to build on this excellent progress.
“The updated ambitions will mean the NHS can be even more focused on outcomes for patients, rather than just appointment times, and it’s yet another example of the NHS bringing cancer care into the modern era of care.”
Health minister Will Quince said the “biggest factor in people surviving cancer is the stage at which they are diagnosed”, and added: “We have listened to the advice from clinical experts and NHS England to reform cancer standards which will speed up diagnosis for patients.”
Last week, NHS England data revealed 261,006 urgent cancer referrals were made by GPs in June – up 13% year on year from 231,868 in June 2022.
However, cancer wait times remain well below the government targets.
From October 2022 to June 2023, 418,000 people waited longer than the two-week period from referral to seeing a specialist, and in the same period, 623,000 people were still waiting for either a diagnosis or cancer to be ruled out 28 days after an urgent referral.
Oncologist Professor Pat Price, co-founder of the #CatchUpWithCancer campaign and chairwoman of charity Radiotherapy UK, welcomed the “simplification” of the system, she said targets should be “much higher”.
“The only measure that will ‘move the dial’ is the development and implementation of a radical new plan backed up with smart investment in people and kit,” she said.
But Genevieve Edwards, chief executive of Bowel Cancer UK, said it is “good news” for bowel cancer services and will “help NHS policymakers and the government to identify parts of the country that may need extra support”.
Image: Labour’s Wes Streeting was diagnosed with and treated for kidney cancer in 2021
Labour’s shadow health secretary Wes Streeting – who has himself undergone NHS cancer treatment – blasted the government’s record on cancer care, saying patients are “left waiting dangerously long for diagnosis and treatment” which means that for some, “their treatment won’t start until it’s too late”.
He added: “Since Rishi Sunak became prime minister, hundreds of thousands of patients have been let down. Now he’s moving the goalposts and cutting standards for patients, when he should be cutting waiting times instead.
“Having been through treatment for kidney cancer, I know the importance of early diagnosis and fast treatment. With Labour, the NHS will be there for cancer patients when they need it, once again.”
Sir Keir Starmer continues to face the threat of a major rebellion during a key vote on welfare reforms later – despite making last-minute concessions to disgruntled Labour MPs.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has confirmed that all existing claimants of the personal independence payment (PIP), the main disability benefit, will be protected from changes to eligibility.
The combined value of the standard Universal Credit allowance and the health top-up will rise “at least in line with inflation” every year of this parliament.
And an additional £300m for employment support for sick and disabled people in 2026 has been announced, which will rise every year after.
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10:54
Welfare cuts ‘needed to be made’
Ms Kendall has also promised that a consultation into PIP – “co-produced” with disabled people – will be published next autumn.
She said the U-turn on welfare cuts will cost taxpayers about £2.5bn by 2030 – less than half the £4.8bn the government had expected to save with its initial proposals.
But after announcing the U-turns, Labour MPs were still publicly saying they could not back the plans as they do not go far enough to allay their concerns.
Disabilities minister Stephen Timms would not say he was “confident” the proposals would pass the Commons when asked on Sky News’ Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge.
“We’ve got a very strong package, I certainly hope it passes,” he replied.
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1:49
‘Disabled people thrown under the bus’
A total of 86 charities united yesterday to call on MPs to reject the reforms, saying they will harm disabled people and calling it “a political choice”.
The likes of Oxfam, Child Action Poverty Group, Mind and Shelter said the bill has been brought to a vote without consulting disabled people and without any assessment “of its impact on health and employment outcomes”.
When asked to name “a single” disability organisation in favour of the reforms, Ms Kendall declined to do so.
Several Labour MPs indicated they would still vote against the changes, leaving the government in the dark over how big a rebellion it still may face.
Ms Kendall tried to allay their fears, telling MPs: “I believe we have a fair package, a package that protects existing claimants because they’ve come to rely on that support.”
Richard Burgon presented a petition to parliament yesterday evening against the cuts, signed by more than 77,000 people.
Several Labour MPs questioned why the vote was going ahead before the review into PIP is published – including Rachael Maskell, who said she could not “countenance sick and disabled people being denied support” and added: “It is a matter of conscience.”
Connor Naismith said the concessions “undoubtedly improve efforts to secure welfare reform which is fair”, but added: “Unfortunately, I do not believe these concessions yet go far enough.”
Image: Labour rebel Nadia Whittome said the government was ‘ignoring’ disabled people
Nadia Whittome accused the government of “ignoring” disabled people and urged ministers to go “back to the drawing board”.
Ian Byrne told the Commons he will vote against the “cruel cuts” to disability benefits because the “so-called concessions go nowhere near far enough”.
The vote will take place this evening, with coverage on Sky News’ Politics Hub live blog and on TV.
Other crypto firms are also reportedly considering applying for a national bank charter, following in the footsteps of Anchorage Digital Bank, which received a license in 2021.
A lower court ruling will stand in a case involving a Coinbase user who filed a lawsuit against the IRS after the crypto exchange turned over transaction data.