Record Cancer Delays Plague NHS

As of February 2026, nearly all NHS trusts are falling short of a key cancer treatment waiting time target. The standard requires 85% of patients to begin treatment within 62 days of referral, a benchmark not met nationally since 2014. In 2025, only three out of 119 trusts achieved this target, with some trusts seeing less than half of patients treated on time.

Significant delays are impacting patient care, with some individuals waiting over 100 days for treatment. This extended waiting period can lead to cancer progression, necessitating more aggressive or invasive treatments and increasing strain on services. The government's 10-year plan aims to rectify this by 2029, setting an interim target of 75% of patients treated within 62 days by March 2026.