Teenage Cancer Trust response to news about the Faster Diagnosis Standard

Teenage Cancer Trust welcomes the announcement by NHS England that they are to replace the Two Week Wait standard for patients with suspected cancer with the Faster Diagnosis Standard. This focuses on confirming a cancer diagnosis or ruling it out for 75% of patients within 28 days and moving to a more ambitious target of 80% in 2025/26.

This is a better measure of diagnostic timeliness than the Two Week Wait which is simply about being seen by a consultant within two weeks. Focusing on confirmed diagnosis outcomes rather than appointment times could mean fewer young people facing an anxious wait for answers at a crucial time in their lives. Our previous research has shown that longer times to cancer diagnosis negatively impacts mental health for young people. 

Dr Louise Soanes, Chief Nurse at Teenage Cancer Trust, said: “We know that waiting to find out whether you have cancer or not can be a hugely anxious time where you are living in limbo, and all the more so if you are a young person just at the cusp of independence. For that reason, we welcome this announcement, and we hope that this move will mean fewer young people will wait for answers for longer than necessary.  

“However, to hit the ambitious target, it is vital that the NHS has the workforce in place needed to deliver it – from running diagnostic tests to analysing results and providing this information back to patients. We hope that future iterations of the Government’s NHS workforce plan will provide much-needed detail as to how capacity within cancer care will be increased so that these good intentions can become reality.” 

About Teenage Cancer Trust 

Teenage Cancer Trust is the only UK charity dedicated to providing specialised nursing care and support for young people with cancer.  

Teenagers and young adults with cancer have a unique set of needs and challenges which are different to those faced by children or older adults. It is vital they receive the right treatment at the right time, not only for their survival but also to minimise the impact of cancer on their lives. 

Teenage Cancer Trust funds nurses and Youth Support Workers who are specially trained to get teenagers and young adults through cancer. They have 28 purpose-built units within NHS hospitals which are places where young people aged 13 to 24 can feel at home, meet others their age, and welcome family and friends, while being looked after by a dedicated team of specialists. Since being founded in 1990, the charity’s specialised support has helped increase survival rates for young people with cancer. 

More teenagers and young adults in the UK die from cancer than any other disease. And for those who survive, going through it without the right support can cause lifelong physical and emotional damage. However, waiting times for cancer diagnosis and treatment are at an all-time high and 47% of teenagers and young adults diagnosed with cancer had to see their GP three or more times before referral – the most out of any age group. These delays can compound the impact of cancer on young people’s physical and mental health. Getting the right support now is crucial to prevent a crisis for future generations.  

References 

Forster, A.S., Herbert, A., Koo, M.M. et al. Associations between diagnostic time intervals and health-related quality of life, clinical anxiety and depression in adolescents and young adults with cancer: cross-sectional analysis of the BRIGHTLIGHT cohort. Br J Cancer 126, 1725–1734 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41416-022-01698-6