Pilgrim Hospital in Boston.

Cancer wait times cause for concern

More than 1,700 patients waited up to an hour to be transferred from an ambulance to the Pilgrim Hospital.

The figures were revealed in a report to the South Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group.

Members were also told that, aside from the 1,731 people who waited up to an hour, there were 714 who waited more than an hour to be transferred.

The same set of statistics showed that Peterborough hospital saw 579 patients wait up to an hour and 109 more than 60 minutes.

Members of the committee also heard there were significant concerns over some missed targets for cancer care.

The United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (ULHT) fell short of NHS standards is six of the nine indicator areas.

The report showed that the two week wait standard was being met at 87.5 per cent of cases in July while the target is 93 per cent.

The 31-day treatment surgery target of 96 per cent fell to 85 per cent and only 62 per cent of patients were within the 62-day wait from GP referral. The target is 85 per cent.

As of September 15 there were six patients waiting more than 104 days.
Within the SLCCG as a whole, the two-week wait for cancer referrals fell just short of the 93 per cent target at 92.79 per cent while the 62-day wait was 82.85 per cent and the target 90 per cent. The figures include patients treated outside the ULHT.

“Cancer referrals are increasing at all providers with significant pressure across the system due to difficulties in recruiting, including radiologists,” committee members heard.

A joint cancer action plan has been put in place with the ULHT – including a weekly performance report.

“There remain some key challenges for the organisation including oncology capacity; sustained emergency pressure; staffing pressures administrative, managerial and clinical,” the report said.

The next meeting of the commissioning committee is due to be held on November 30.

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