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Cancer

Cancer Care Inequities in the UK: Nearly 4 in 10 Patients Struggle Due to Geography

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

For many people with cancer in the UK, access to timely and effective care is not a guarantee, regardless of the quality of treatment available. A recent analysis conducted by Macmillan Cancer Support reveals that an estimated 40% of cancer patients have faced barriers to care due to their geographical location, with some even opting to forgo vital tests and treatments due to long travel times.

Key Takeaways:

  • 40% of people with cancer in the UK have struggled to access care due to where they live, representing almost 1.4 million individuals out of 3.4 million people with cancer in the country.
  • 36% of patients reported having to travel for more than an hour for a test, scan, or treatment, with some patients having to make repeated requests for specific tests not available in their local area.
  • 3% of patients, equivalent to 100,000 people, have turned down tests or treatments due to travel time, which could potentially put lives at risk.
  • Additional analysis of NHS data by Macmillan suggests that around 60,000 more people in the UK would have started treatment on time last year if cancer waiting times in their area matched those of the best-performing regions.
  • The latest NHS England data for June shows that 76.8% of patients urgently referred for suspected cancer were diagnosed or had it ruled out within 28 days, with 67.1% of patients waiting no longer than 62 days for their first definitive treatment.
  • The proportion of patients who had waited no longer than 62 days for treatment, however, was down slightly from 67.8% in May, with the target of 75% set for March 2026.

Statistics:

  • 1.4 million people with cancer in the UK have struggled to access care due to geographical barriers.
  • 36% of patients have to travel for more than an hour for a test, scan, or treatment.
  • 3% of patients, equivalent to 100,000 people, have turned down tests or treatments due to travel time.
  • 60,000 more people in the UK would have started treatment on time last year if cancer waiting times in their area matched those of the best-performing regions.
  • 76.8% of patients were diagnosed or had their suspected cancer ruled out within 28 days, while 67.1% of patients waited no longer than 62 days for their first definitive treatment.

Sources:

  • YouGov survey conducted for Macmillan (2022) - 2,002 UK adults with a cancer diagnosis
  • NHS England data for June (2022)
  • Macmillan Cancer Support analysis of NHS data (2022)
  • Dr. Anthony Cunliffe, Macmillan's lead medical adviser (2022)
  • Daisy, a patient with Hodgkin's lymphoma (2022)
  • NHS spokesperson (2022)

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