Government has confirmed plans to consolidate NHS England’s current 10 performance standards into three key standards.
Earlier this week reports emerged that NHS England was planning to scrap two thirds of its cancer wait time targets, with the service missing four of the most important targets for diagnosing cancer.
Three key standards
Confirming government’s plans, NHS England revealed that three key standards have been developed by clinical experts and supported by leading cancer charities.
The standards, effective from October, include:
The 28-Day Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS), meaning patients with suspected cancer who are referred for urgent cancer checks by a GP, screening programme or other route should be diagnosed or have cancer ruled out within 28 days.
The 62-day referral to treatment standard, which means patients who have been referred for suspected cancer from any source and go on to receive a diagnosis should start treatment within 62 days of their referral.
The 31-day decision to treat to treatment standard, which ensures patients who have a cancer diagnosis, and who have had a decision made on their first or subsequent treatment, should then start that treatment within 31 days.
In line with the recommendation of the 2015 Independent Cancer Taskforce, government has approved that the outdated two week wait target will be replaced with the Faster Diagnosis Standard from October.
While GPs will still refer people with suspected cancer in the same way, the focus will be on getting people diagnosed or have cancer ruled out within 28 days, rather than simply getting a first appointment.
Roadmap to recovering performance
Alongside the new standards, NHS England stated that the NHS is setting out a roadmap to recovering performance, with a focus on treating people within 62 days of a referral and more ambitious targets for meeting the 28-day faster diagnosis standards over the next two years.
It added NHS providers will also be expected to ensure three quarters (75%) of patients are diagnosed or have cancer ruled out within 28 days of a referral, with the ambition of an 80% target to be introduced in 2025/26.
And as part of plans to see and treat people for cancer as early as possible, hospitals have also been asked to work towards a 10-day turnaround when delivering diagnostic test results to patients who have received an urgent referral for suspected cancer.
Alongside the updated standards, NHS England said the NHS has also committed to publishing a more detailed breakdown of the cancer statistics each month. It will increase the number of cancer types for which separate data are published. Statistics on performance against the old standards will continue to be collected.
Speedier diagnosis
Professor Peter Johnson, NHS National clinical director for cancer, said: “It is a testament to the hard work of NHS staff that we are seeing and treating record numbers of patients for cancer, and diagnosing people at an earlier stage than ever before, giving them the best chance of survival.
“On top of delivering record checks and treatments, staff have also made significant progress bringing down the longest waits, but we want to ensure even more patients are being diagnosed and treated as early as possible following referral.
“These modified standards will provide a clear focus for how to achieve this, and the faster diagnosis standard already being used across the country will mean more patients will benefit from a speedier diagnosis or the all clear within a month, helping to relieve anxieties or enabling treatment to start sooner.
“Catching cancers early saves live and these three standards have been agreed by leading cancer experts, with the support of cancer charities and clinicians, as the best way for the NHS to ensure patients are diagnosed and able to start treatment quickly.”
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 – it aims to ensure that patients get the all clear or a definitive diagnosis within 28 days.
“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 of example of the NHS bringing cancer care into the modern era of care.
“NHS staff are already embracing the best innovations for the benefit of patients and these streamlined measures support newer ways of testing and will allow us to continue to make the most of the latest advances in technology.”
Health minister Will Quince added: “The biggest factor in people surviving cancer is the stage at which they are diagnosed. We have listened to the advice from clinical experts and NHS England to reform cancer standards which will speed up diagnosis for patients.”