The NHS has managed to significantly reduce cancer diagnosis times
across the UK, according to official figures.
At the turn of the millennium it took on average 96 days from the
first GP visit to diagnose bowel cancer, while now it is only 75 days. Oesophageal cancer
diagnosis times were also reduced from 59 to 48 days. Several other cancers
showed a slight drop, but none as significant as bowel and oesophageal cancers.
Researchers trying to
find the main causes of the improvement have highlighted the nationwide rollout
of guidance in 2005 which helped doctors decide where a patient should be
referred for treatment.
The Department of
Health has invested £450m to improve its cancer strategy and improve diagnosis
times, aiming to close the gap on the best healthcare systems when it comes to
survival rates.
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