Calls made for an urgent plan to reduce cancer treatment wait times in south Warwickshire

Jenny Wilkinson, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Kenilworth and Southam, is calling for a plan so that health services in South Warwickshire can improve cancer care and protect local health services.

The Lib Dems said that last month, NHS data revealed 248 local people had to wait more than two weeks to see a cancer specialist after a GP referral.

It added that while the NHS target is for 93 per cent of patients to see a cancer specialist after a referral, in South Warwickshire this was the case for 85 per cent of patients.

Kenilworth and Southam Liberal Democrats have called on the Government to bring forward an urgent plan to improve cancer care in light of the revelations.

Jenny Wilkinson said: “It is deeply upsetting that so many people in South Warwickshire are being let down.

"Early cancer diagnosis is crucial, and too few are seeing a specialist in good time.

“The government has failed to come up with a proper plan to help people as targets for waiting times are missed month after month in Kenilworth and Southam.

"Our NHS is being run into the ground, from ballooning ambulance waits to understaffed hospitals, and this Conservative government has done little but shrug its shoulders.

"It's just not good enough and people here deserve better.

“We need an urgent plan to improve cancer care and to save our local health services.

"People are worried sick about what could happen if they get a terrible diagnosis too late. More inaction is not an option.”

A spokesperson for South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Ensuring patients have access to timely treatment is a top priority for the organisation.

"We are currently experiencing some of the highest referral rates in the region for cancer treatment, which has impacted on performance.

"Our teams are working really hard to ensure patients get the treatment they need at the right time.

"To support the increase in demand we are reviewing pathways and enhancing medical capacity.

"We are already seeing improvements with September’s figure increasing to 91.2 per cent (1,339) of referrals seen within 14 days.”