Written question WQ90381

The Welsh Government is committed to improving outcomes for all cancers, including those with the lowest survival rates. Our approach is set out in the Quality Statement for Cancer, and the NHS in Wales has responded in the Cancer Improvement Plan. This includes a focus on detecting cancer at earlier more treatable stages and putting in place rapid access to investigation and treatment. A number of actions are supporting this, including the establishment of the diagnostic programme to improve diagnostic care, the establishment of Rapid Diagnostic Centres across Wales for people with vague symptoms, the introduction of digital guidance for all GPs on making cancer referrals, and the introduction of a series of timed national pathways to support health board planning of services.

It is already a requirement that most cases of suspected cancer should be investigated, and where necessary, start first definitive treatment within 62 days of the point their cancer was suspected. This is a much-accelerated pathway compared to other non-cancer planned care but the cancer waiting time guidance for clinicians and managers explains that the access target of 62 days allows for clinical judgment to be exercised on the clinical urgency of cases. We expect more urgent cases to be treated with greater priority and in support of this some pathways (such as the pancreatic cancer pathway) recommend health boards plan services to provide first definitive treatment within 28 days of point of suspicion.

The clinical urgency of a particular cancer is dependent on a range of factors and not solely the type of cancer involved. Some other cancers may present at a stage and with an associated performance status that requires similar clinical urgency to those cancers considered less survivable. In addition, there is a balance to be struck between implementing a waiting time target which is equitable to all cancers, is not administratively cumbersome, and provides enough flexibility to accommodate individualised decision making. Taking these factors into consideration, the Welsh Government has no plans to introduce specific targets for different cancers.