Diagnostic and cancer waiting times for August 2024

Responding to the latest figures, Dr Katharine Halliday, President of the Royal College of Radiologists, said:

“This latest health data is another reminder of how far we have to go. Over the last six months we’ve seen waits for diagnostic tests worsen, with 78,000 people waiting over six weeks for a CT or MRI scan in August.

In Lord Darzi’s recent review of the NHS, he was right to highlight chronic underinvestment in diagnostics as a major factor behind long waiting times. He also laid bare the crisis in cancer care, reflected in stubbornly poor performance against cancer waiting times targets. Delays in radiotherapy are particularly worrying, with only 39% patients receiving radiotherapy treatment within 62 days of a cancer referral, against a target of 85%.

The budget on 30th October will be a key test of whether the Government has heeded Lord Darzi’s advice. We want to see investment to support the workforce, transform diagnostics and replace ageing radiotherapy machines, so that patients no longer have to wait for the treatment and care they need.”