Going Further on Cancer Waits (GFOCW)
Standards | Guidance
Standards
The NHS Cancer Plan (September 2000) and the Cancer Reform Strategy (2007) introduced a number of service standards relating to cancer waiting times for out-patient services and hospital treatment. These are:
NHS Cancer Plan
- 2 week standard from urgent GP referral for suspected cancer to first hospital assessment;
- 31 day standard from decision to treat to first treatment;
- 62 day standard from urgent GP referral for suspected cancer to first treatment;
- 31 day standard from urgent GP referral to first treatment for children's cancers, testicular cancer, and acute leukaemia.
Cancer Reform Strategy
- Two week standard from referral for breast symptoms whether cancer is suspected or not to first hospital assessment;
- 31 day standard from decision to treat/earliest clinically appropriate date to any subsequent treatment for all cancer patients including those diagnosed with a recurrence;
- 62 day standard from urgent referral from NHS Cancer Screening Programmes (breast, cervical and bowel) to first treatment for cancer;
- 62 day standard from a consultant's decision to upgrade the urgency of a patient (e.g. following a non-urgent referral) due to a suspicion of cancer to first treatment.
All cancer waiting times service standards (both from the Cancer Plan and the Cancer Reform Strategy) are monitored through the revised national Cancer Waiting Times Database issued in April 2009.
Guidance
Formal guidance on GFOCW can be found at: http://nww.connectingforhealth.nhs.uk/nhais/cancerwaiting/documentation (NHS users only)
The National Cancer Action Team (NCAT), along with other stakeholders, has issued a guide to support the implementation of the the symptomatic breast two week wait standard and a set of top tips for delivering the two week wait standard for breast symptoms (where cancer is not initially suspected).