'14-day / Two-week wait'
England meets the standard for their country on the percentage of patients first seen by a specialist within two weeks of urgent GP referral for suspected cancer.[1]
'Two-week wait' supports early diagnosis as spotting cancer early is important for improving survival, so it is important that patients with potential cancer symptoms are referred promptly.
'31-day wait'
Scotland meets the standard for their country on the percentage of patients that receive their first cancer treatment within 31 days of a decision to treat, while Northern Ireland and Wales do not meet the standard for their country.[2-4]
The speed at which patients receive their first treatment can have a positive outcome on their clinical outcome, so it is important that patients with cancer symptoms are treated promptly.
'62-day wait'
Scotland meets the standard for their country on the percentage of patients receiving their first definitive treatment for cancer within two months of a GP referral for suspected ovarian cancer, while Wales and Northern Ireland do not meet the standard for their country for gynaecological cancers and Scotland does not meet the standard for their country for cervical cancer.[2-4]
The speed at which patients receive their first treatment can have a positive outcome on their clinical outcome, so it is important that patients with cancer symptoms are treated promptly.
Cancer waiting times coding and standards are different in each country and so comparisons should not be made between countries, only each country against their own measures.
Gynaecological Cancer, Waiting Times, UK countries, 2014-15
England | Wales | Scotland (cervical cancer only) | Scotland (ovarian cancer only) | Northern Ireland | ||
'14-day wait': seen by specialist following referral | Performance | 95.1% | ||||
Standard | 93% | |||||
Performance against standard | Meets standard | |||||
'31-day wait': receipt of first treatment following decision to treat | Performance | 97.8% | 97.3% | 98.8% | 96.3% | |
Standard | 98% | 95% | 95% | 98% | ||
Performance against standard | Does not meet standard | Meets standard | Meets standard | Does not meet standard | ||
'62-day wait': receipt of first treatment following referral | Performance | 81.6% | 94.0% | 95.0% | 70.3% | |
Standard | 95% | 95% | 95% | 95% | ||
Performance against standard | Does not meet standard | Meets standard | Meets standard | Does not meet standard |
Data not available for '31- or 62-day wait' in England.
Data for Scotland is for cervical cancer and ovarian cancer only, and separately.
References
- NHS England. Cancer waiting times(link is external).Accessed May 2015.
- StatsWales. Cancer waiting times(link is external). Accessed May 2015.
- ISD Scotland. Cancer Waiting Times(link is external). Accessed June 2015.
- Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. Cancer Waiting Times(link is external). Accessed June 2015.
See also
Data is for UK, 2014-2015, ICD-10 C51-C57, D06
Cancer waiting times statistics are for patients who entered the health care system within financial year 2014-15. Cervical cancer is part of the group 'Gynaecological cancer' for cancer waiting times data. Codes vary per country but broadly include: Vulva, vagina, cervix, uterus, ovary, other female genital organs, placenta and secondary cancers of ovary.