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North Devon slow to test for bowel cancer

North Devon District Hospital seen from Codden Hill (courtesy: Roger A Smith)

60 per cent of patients wait for six weeks or more

 North Devon is one of the worst in the country for getting examined quickly for bowel cancer, and more than 30 other hospitals in the south west have broken government waiting time targets for tests.

 

The Northern Devon Healthcare Trust leaves more than 60 per cent of patients waiting for tests for six weeks or more. One in three people in the Royal Devon and Exeter Trust area with symptons that need further investigation have to wait the same time. In Torbay, it's just one in 10.

 

An charity called Bowel Cancer UK says it shows lack of funding and shortage of staff in the NHS. A early examination, called. a colonoscopy, makes any cancer detected easier to treat. The charity says: "The waiting times published by NHS England is further evidence that demand for diagnostic tests are outstripping capacity. Many hospitals are at breaking point because they simply do not have the capacity to meet the growing demand for these services. A lack of funding, limited resources and a shortage of staff to carry out the number of procedures needed are contributing to this.

 

"The three hospitals with some of the highest percentage of patients waiting more than six weeks for colonoscopy appointments in August 2018 are: Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust (61%), Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (57%) and Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust (54%). The three hospitals with some of the highest percentage of patients waiting more than six weeks for flexible sigmoidoscopy appointments are: Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust (60%), Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust (56%) and University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (51%). 

Ahead of the government spending review in November, Bowel Cancer UK is calling on Chancellor of the Exchequer, The Rt Hon Philip Hammond, and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, The Rt Hon Matt Hancock, to work together to develop a fully funded action plan to tackle NHS staff shortages in diagnostic services for bowel cancer and end the capacity crisis." 

 

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