We’re rightly proud of the NHS and what it stands for, but it needs a Government that gives it the resources to make it as effective as possible.  But NHS waiting lists in England have hit an all time high – more than 7.5 million are waiting for care, with a staggering 51,510 waiting locally within the area covered by Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust.

In particular, longer waiting lists makes me concerned – and angry – when it comes to cancer diagnosis and treatment. Cancer that’s diagnosed at an early stage, when it isn’t too large and hasn’t spread, is more likely to be treated successfully.

Official statistics released to the Labour Party have revealed patients at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust are facing long waits for cancer care, showing patients are waiting up to 94 days to see a cancer specialist after their GP has urgently referred them to hospital.

Perhaps even more worryingly, patients face waits of up to 262 days for their tests or scans.

Waiting times for cancer patients in England have worsened every year since the Conservatives came to power in 2010. The government is now set to cut two thirds of existing cancer waiting times standards for patients this week. The latest figures revealed that the NHS met none of its cancer targets in June 2023.

The NHS standard is for 85 per cent of patients to start treatment within two months of an urgent referral, a target that has not been consistently met since early 2014.

The Labour Party has committed to cut cancer waiting times down to safe levels. The plans to deliver better cancer care include training thousands more doctors and nurses every year, providing NHS staff with up-to-date modern technology, and reforming the health service so it catches cancer earlier.

The Conservatives have created a crisis in cancer care, leaving patients waiting dangerously long for a diagnosis or treatment when their cancer could be spreading.

Instead of addressing the problem, they are now cynically moving the goalposts. The Prime Minister should focus on cutting waiting times, not cutting standards for patients.

Cllr Michael Jones

Leader, Crawley Borough Council