In May 2010, NHS England figures stated that 996 people had been waiting more than two months to start their cancer treatment. That figure more than tripled to 3,316 before the pandemic in February 2020. Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, said his mission to fix the NHS includes cutting cancer waiting times.
Shadow health minister Karin Smyth said: “After 13 years of Tory Government cancer care is in crisis. The Tories have left too many cancer patients waiting too long for a diagnosis, specialist appointments, and to begin their treatment. When it comes to cancer, delays cost lives. The Conservative Party suggested that Labour’s opposition to the Government’s plan, as first announced in the Budget, to scrap the lifetime pensions allowance would cause more doctors to retire early.