By Record number of cancer checks referred says NHS
The figures during the pandemic suggested during this these factors saw numbers dramatically decline in 2020.
According to reports, at least 30,000 people are still waiting to start treatment.
Charities have welcomed the increase in referrals but warned of the impact the pandemic has had on cancer care.
Referrals for suspected cancer remain higher than pre-pandemic levels and rose overall from 2.4 million to 2,65m, which is recorded in the past 12 months.
Dame Cally Palmer, national cancer director for NHS England, said: “We are going further and faster than ever before in our ambitions to diagnose more cancers at an earlier stage so that we can save more lives.”
It is “vital that we keep these referral rates high”, she added.
One-stop shops for tests, mobile clinics and symptom hotlines have been set up to help ensure people are diagnosed and treated as early as possible, the health service said.
Minesh Patel, head of policy at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “To avoid putting further pressure on hardworking doctors and nurses, it’s vital the government includes steps in the upcoming 10-year cancer plan to grow the number of cancer professionals so that people living with cancer receive the quality and timely care they desperately need.”
The Health and Social Care Committee said three million fewer people in the UK were invited for screenings between March and September 2020.
The BBC reported between March 2020 and March 2021, 326,000 fewer people in England received an urgent referral for suspected cancer.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: “Our upcoming 10-year cancer plan that will lead Europe in cancer care, along with our record investment to cut waiting times and the introduction of the health and social care levy, will help us continue our mission to tackle the Covid backlogs.”
