Before the pandemic, patients showing any potentially cancerous symptoms had a legal right to be seen by a specialist within two weeks of an urgent GP referral. Typically, a diagnosis would have been made within 28 days and if needed, 95 percent of patients would begin treatment within 62 days from the original referral. But in the current climate of severe healthcare rationing, these targets have simply been abandoned. All those cancer pathways designed to catch the disease early before it advances and spreads have been severely challenged. While creating capacity for Covid-19 patients was crucial to deal with the initial outbreak, it has slowed down the effective diagnosis and treatment.

Join for free to read