NHS Cancer Waiting Times, Quarter Ending March 2012

Statistics on Cancer waiting times include data for Welsh Local Health Boards for the quarter up to the end of March 2012. The latest release updates the statistics previously released on 7 March 2012.

The key points from the latest release are:

• 90 per cent of patients newly diagnosed with cancer via the Urgent Suspected Cancer route started definitive treatment within the target time of 62 days.  Since the quarter ending September 2008, this percentage has been around the low to mid 90s. It fell below 90 per cent in the quarters ending June and September 2011, but rose to 90 per cent in the quarters ending December 2011 and March 2012.
• 99 per cent of patients who were newly diagnosed with cancer not via the Urgent route started definitive treatment within the target time of 31 days.  The longer term trend has been fairly static, fluctuating around 98 and 99 per cent since quarter ending September 2007 and generally meeting the target.
• At Local Health Board (LHB) level, 5 of the 6 LHBs met the target that at least 98 per cent of patients newly diagnosed with cancer not via the Urgent route should start definitive treatment within 31 days.  Only one LHB met the target that at least 95 per cent of patients newly diagnosed with cancer via the Urgent route should start definitive treatment within 62 days.

For April 2012 data onwards, we will be publishing cancer waiting times on a monthly and quarterly basis. This is in response to user demand. Please see the Notes on page 5 of the release for more details.

Further information

StatsWales website.

Contact

Tel: 029 2080 1268
E-mail: stats.healthinfo@wales.gsi.gov.uk

Next update

27 June 2012