The Sussex University Hospitals Trust failing to meet new Government cancer waiting time

File photo dated 19/05/08 of a woman looking through a microscope. Some 65,400 people every month in England are waiting too long to find out whether they have cancer, according to a new analysis from Cancer Research UK. Issue date: Monday May 9, 2022.

The Sussex University Hospitals Trust not a met a new key Government cancer waiting time target in any of the six months following its introduction, figures reveal.

Cancer Research UK said the Government needs to invest more in the NHS and raise its target to prevent tens of thousands of people across England being "left in limbo" every month.

The Government introduced a new Faster Diagnostic Standard target last year for 75% of people on certain cancer-related referrals to receive either a diagnosis or the all-clear within 28 days.

But monthly NHS England figures show that between October and March, University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust did not meet this target once.

In March – the most recent data available – the Trust got back to 69.9% of its 4,537 patients within 28 days – up from 67.5% in February.

This means 1,364 patients at the Sussex University Hospitals Trust were waiting too long to find out whether or not they have cancer in the most recent month.

Cancer Research UK says they are among an average of 65,4000 people across England affected every month.