Cancer patients in England ‘diagnosed too late’ due to staff shortages.

Cancer Research UK estimates that 115,000 cancer patients in England are diagnosed too late to have the best chance of survival.

Around 115,000 people who get cancer are already at stage 3 when it is detected, where the cancer may have started to spread, or stage 4, where it has reached other organs.

The government’s long-term plan for the NHS, sets an ambitious target of three quarters of cancers to be picked up early by 2028 opposed to 2 in 4. It has been calculated that by 2028, there will be an estimated 320,000 cancers, so at least 100,000 more will have to be caught early to hit the target.

This is virtually impossible due to staff shortages. Staff are working tirelessly to diagnose and treat cancer patients. But the governments inaction on staff shortages is crippling the NHS says Cancer Research UK.

Director of Clinical Negligence and Serious Injury at Hampson Hughes, Carlos comments: ”Bottlenecks in cancer diagnostic reporting is costing lives. The NHS can not cope with the increase in cancer referrals. Delays and misreporting has a devastating impact”

When facing cancer, a timely and correct diagnosis should be the first key stage in readying your mind and body to fight the disease.

Any time a patient receives a cancer misdiagnosis or late diagnosis from a GP, or other medical professional, the chance of them successfully beating the disease are considerably lower than those who receive an early and accurate diagnosis.

If you have suffered from delayed cancer diagnosis, Hampson Hughes can help. To help get the justice you deserve, call us on 0800 888 6888 or for more information, Click here.

Full source: The Guardian – Cancer patients in England ‘diagnosed too late’ due to staff shortages