Thousands of ‘invisible’ cancer patients still not coming forward in Peterborough area due to pandemic warns cancer charity

Macmillan Cancer Support says the numbers seen for suspected cancer at North West Anglia NHS Trust hospitals following an urgent GP referral rose in May, but not enough to allay concerns about cases being missed.

The charity says many people are still avoiding critical care due to concerns about Covid-19 and is calling for an urgent recovery plan to deal with the backlog once thousands of “invisible patients” come forward.

NHS England data shows 1,099 suspected cancer urgent referrals were seen by specialists at North West Anglia clinics during May – 11 per cent more than in April, when 992 appointments were recorded. But this was still 43 per cent down on the same month last year, when 1,937 were recorded.

A similar pattern was seen across England, where the figure rose by 34 per cent between April and May, to 106,500. But this was still 94,000 (47 per cent) fewer than the number seen last May, and the lowest number for the month since 2011.

Macmillan’s Sara Bainbridge said: “We know that many will have been afraid to come forward with symptoms for fear of being a burden on the NHS or catching coronavirus.

“As thousands of these ‘invisible patients’ are diagnosed with cancer and begin their treatment, our cancer services face being under more pressure than ever before.”

Ms Bainbridge said Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s recent mini-budget, in which he announced fresh measures and £3bn in funding to tackle the coronavirus crisis, was a missed opportunity to ensure cancer “does not become the forgotten ‘C’ in this pandemic”.

She added: “It is absolutely critical that the Government commit to addressing the backlog in cancer treatment, including the staffing and resources needed, to deliver the care that many are anxiously waiting for.”

At North West Anglia Trust, the number of people starting treatment following an urgent GP referral for suspected cancer fell by 44 per cent in May compared to last year.

This was even worse than the national picture, where the figure dropped 37 per cent to 16,700.

Dr Oliver Stovin, a MacMillan GP and clinical lead for cancer at the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group, commented: “Cancer will not stop because of COVID-19, so it’s important patients don’t stop contacting their GPs about any potential cancer concerns either. Early diagnosis is a vital part of cancer treatment, dramatically improving a patient’s chance of survival.

“All GP practices and hospitals across our area are open for business, and they have taken measures to ensure that COVID-19 infection risks are minimised if you need to be seen face to face. So please don’t put your health at risk by putting off contacting your GP.”

The CCG says GP practices are working tirelessly to continue to offer great patient care to their patients, using video and telephone appointments as well as face-to-face slots for those patients that need them.

People who are referred to hospital for suspected cancer by their GP will be assessed by phone or via video in first instance. They will be offered face-to-face appointments in hospital if necessary. Hospitals have taken appropriate measures to minimise the risk of transmission of COVID-19.

An NHS spokeswoman said: “Throughout the Covid pandemic, hospitals have successfully and quickly cared for patients urgently referred by their GP, with over 94 per cent of such urgent cancer referrals being investigated within 14 days, and over 65,000 people starting treatment for cancer throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

“Urgent referrals are now increasing again as people come forward for a cancer check, and anyone who is concerned about a possible symptom should contact their GP and come forward for a check-up.”