The number of NHS patients waiting longer than six weeks for crucial medical tests including cancer has hit a record high, official figures revealed this morning. Some 18,740 patients had to wait longer than six weeks to take cancer and other tests in January – more than five times higher than in May 2010 when the Coalition took over. The figures cover 15 of the most important NHS tests, including seven that detect cancers and others for heart disease. The number of NHS patients waiting longer than six weeks for crucial medical tests including Cancer has hit a record high . Just under 14,000 patients waited longer than six weeks for one of the key cancer tests. Some 2,954 patients waited too long for MRI scans, compared to 374 in May 2010, with a further 1,125 patients were forced to wait longer than they should for CT scans – up from 215 five years ago. Just under 2,904 patients in January waited too long for ultrasound tests - not including pregnant women – up from 291 in 2010. Four crucial endoscopy tests that detect bowel and stomach cancers have also seen a huge spike in patients waiting longer than six weeks. Some 6,978 patients in January waited too long for one of the tests – up from 976 in May 2010. A Labour Government will guarantee that NHS patients in England will wait no longer than one week for cancer tests and results by 2020. In 2014, 20,775 patients who were diagnosed with cancer waited for than 62 days to begin treatment. Labour's shadow health secretary Andy Burnham said the figures showed David Cameron had 'damaged the care that Cancer patients are receiving' Andy Burnham, Labour's Shadow Health Secretary, said the figures were 'damning evidence' of the Government's failure on NHS waiting lists. Mr Burnham said: 'He has presided over a major cut in the cancer budget in this Parliament and this has damaged the care that cancer patients are receiving. 'All the gains that Labour made have been lost and the NHS is heading in the wrong direction. Thousands of families are waiting too long for tests, facing all the anxiety that means, and cancer is being diagnosed at a later stage where treatment is less likely to be successful. 'That's why Labour will guarantee a maximum one-week wait for cancer tests. 'The NHS as we know it can't survive five more years of the Tories. Families struggling with cancer can't take the risk and, despite all the warnings, persisted with an NHS reorganisation that disrupted cancer services.'
18,740 patients waited longer than six weeks to take NHS tests in January .
This is more than five times higher than May 2010 when Coalition took over .
Figures cover 15 of most important tests, including seven detecting cancer .
The number of NHS patients waiting longer than six weeks for crucial medical tests including cancer has hit a record high, official figures revealed this morning. Some 18,740 patients had to wait longer than six weeks to take cancer and other tests in January – more than five times higher than in May 2010 when the Coalition took over. The figures cover 15 of the most important NHS tests, including seven that detect cancers and others for heart disease. The number of NHS patients waiting longer than six weeks for crucial medical tests including Cancer has hit a record high . Just under 14,000 patients waited longer than six weeks for one of the key cancer tests. Some 2,954 patients waited too long for MRI scans, compared to 374 in May 2010, with a further 1,125 patients were forced to wait longer than they should for CT scans – up from 215 five years ago. Just under 2,904 patients in January waited too long for ultrasound tests - not including pregnant women – up from 291 in 2010. Four crucial endoscopy tests that detect bowel and stomach cancers have also seen a huge spike in patients waiting longer than six weeks. Some 6,978 patients in January waited too long for one of the tests – up from 976 in May 2010. A Labour Government will guarantee that NHS patients in England will wait no longer than one week for cancer tests and results by 2020. In 2014, 20,775 patients who were diagnosed with cancer waited for than 62 days to begin treatment. Labour's shadow health secretary Andy Burnham said the figures showed David Cameron had 'damaged the care that Cancer patients are receiving' Andy Burnham, Labour's Shadow Health Secretary, said the figures were 'damning evidence' of the Government's failure on NHS waiting lists. Mr Burnham said: 'He has presided over a major cut in the cancer budget in this Parliament and this has damaged the care that cancer patients are receiving. 'All the gains that Labour made have been lost and the NHS is heading in the wrong direction. Thousands of families are waiting too long for tests, facing all the anxiety that means, and cancer is being diagnosed at a later stage where treatment is less likely to be successful. 'That's why Labour will guarantee a maximum one-week wait for cancer tests. 'The NHS as we know it can't survive five more years of the Tories. Families struggling with cancer can't take the risk and, despite all the warnings, persisted with an NHS reorganisation that disrupted cancer services.'
longer than six weeks to take cancer and other tests in January – more than five times higher than in May 2010 when the Coalition took over. The figures cover 15 of the most important NHS tests, including seven that detect cancers and