FEWER than three in five people urgently referred to north Cumbria’s acute hospitals with suspected bowel cancer were given a diagnosis or an all-clear within four weeks, new figures reveal.

Cancer support charities are calling for urgent investment to tackle workforce shortages and reduce waiting times across England amid fears that longer waits may tragically slim the survival chances of some patients.

A new national NHS target means three-quarters of all suspected cancer patients should get their diagnosis within four weeks.

NHS England figures show that in June, just 145 out of 256 patients (57%) with suspected cancer at North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, which runs The Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle and West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven, received their test results within 28 days of an urgent GP referral.

Of the patients who were forced to wait longer, 29 had to wait at least 62 days.

Proportionately, suspected bowel cancer patients were more likely to wait over four weeks than those being tested for breast, lung or skin cancers following an urgent referral to the trust.

The figures exclude those referred through screening programmes, where it is not mandatory to log the cancer type.

From October, NHS trusts will be required to provide a result to 75% of all suspected cancer patients within four weeks as part of the new faster diagnosis standard. It is aimed at getting treatment started sooner to those who need it, and placing minds at rest more quickly for those who are all-clear.

The Bowel Cancer UK charity said staffing shortages meant more funding was needed to carry out enough endoscopies, which are a key diagnosis took for the disease.

Chief executive Genevieve Edwards said: “Bowel cancer is the UK’s second biggest cancer killer, but it’s treatable and curable, especially if diagnosed early. It’s tragic that some patients will face poorer outcomes as a result of having to wait too long for tests and treatment.”

Cancer Research UK also called for long-term investment into the workforce as well as for diagnostic equipment.

The charity’s head of policy, Kruti Shortri, said: “Endoscopy is vital for the diagnosis of a number of cancers, in particular gastrointestinal cancers.

“As with all diagnostic services it was hit hard by the pandemic, but even before this the service was under considerable strain as staff numbers and equipment simply weren’t rising to match demand.”

Separate NHS England figures also show how many people were waiting for an endoscopy in June.

At North Cumbria Integrated Care Trust, 1,504 people were on the waiting list – including 1,076 who had been waiting six weeks or more and 873 on the list for at least 13 weeks.

Across England, 88,000 people were waiting for an endoscopy in June.

NHS England said it was continuing to make progress through the pandemic with a quarter of a million people tested for cancer in June – the second-highest monthly number on record and 42% more than in the same month last year.

National medical director for England, Professor Stephen Powis, said: “NHS staff have made effective use of the additional resources made available to use to recover services which were inevitably disrupted during the pandemic, and we are continuing to tackle the Covid backlog.”

A spokeswoman for the north Cumbrian trust said that over the past 18 months managers had implemented “comprehensive measures” to maintain care for clinically urgent and cancer patients.

She said: “Despite this, the pressure on our beds and equipment, combined with the enhanced infection prevention and control measures, has significantly impacted on our waiting times in services such as diagnostics.

“Our recovery plan includes additional funding to reduce our waiting times and a mobile endoscopy unit will be in place at the Cumberland Infirmary from November for six months.

"We are also working with our regional partners to look at ways to deliver extra MRI and CT scanners in the county.”

The trust recognised the need for timely assessment, diagnosis and treatment. But the challenge may become more complex due to later presentation, later diagnosis and longer waits for treatment due to the pandemic.

People should be aware of unexplained changes in their body, such as blood in pee or poo, a lump, or persistent bloating or pain. Anyone who is concerned should contact their GP.