SaTH hits its performance targets for cancer waiting times
The Trust which runs Shropshire’s two acute hospitals hit all of its performance targets for cancer waiting times in 2016/2017, figures revealed today.
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), which runs the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, hit all of the targets despite the great demand on its services.
Dr Sheena Khanduri, Lead Clinician for Cancer Services, said: “We really can’t underestimate what a huge achievement this is and I hope it will reassure anyone referred to our hospitals with a suspected cancer diagnosis that they will receive prompt, effective, patient-centred care from staff who ensure our patients are at the heart of all they do.”
During 2016/17, 85.9% of patients received their first treatment within 62 days of an urgent referral (the target is 85%). GPs referred more than 20,000 patients with a suspected cancer diagnosis to SaTH during 2016/17, with 94.2% of these patients being seen with the two week wait standard of 93%.
Furthermore, 95% of patients who required treatment for cancer following referral from a National Screening Programme were treated within the 90% target, while the majority of patients who needed chemotherapy (98%) or radiotherapy (94%) as a second or subsequent treatment received their treatment within the 31-day decision to treat to treatment target.
Kathryn Poli, Cancer Performance Manager at SaTH, said: “The Cancer Services Team works closely with colleagues to ensure all patients have access to timely cancer care at every stage of their treatment.
“To have hit all the targets is a fantastic achievement and our staff are to be congratulated for making it happen.
“We will continue to work hard to maintain these standards while also striving to make further improvement in the future. The priority going forward is to continue hitting the target while also eradicating delays linked to capacity and reducing the number of patients treated after 104 days.”
