Macmillan Cancer Support has revealed that there is still a staggering backlog of more than 47,000 people ‘missing’ a cancer diagnosis in the UK.

As the NHS continues to buckle under the strain of current demand, the charity has also reported that more than 24,000 of those who began cancer treatment during the pandemic in England waited too long following their diagnosis, including a record 2,000 in September alone.

Without action from the government, Macmillan is warning that many more people will continue to require care from a system that does not have enough staff or resources to ensure they are given the best possible treatment and support, leading to heightened anxiety and distress for many as they face long waits for answers about their next steps or disruption to their treatment. For some, these waits could mean a worse chance of survival.

Further Macmillan analysis shows that the NHS in England would need to work at 110 per cent capacity for 13 months in a row to catch up with the number of people who should have started cancer treatment since March 2020 — and the charity wants the government to do more to help the NHS achieve this.

Steven McIntosh, executive director of Advocacy and Communications, said: “Nearly two years into the pandemic, there is still a mountain of almost 50,000 people who are missing a cancer diagnosis. Thousands more are already facing delays and disruption as they go through treatment. While hard-working healthcare professionals continue to do all they can to diagnose and treat patients on time, they are fighting an uphill battle. Cancer patients are stuck, waiting in a system that doesn’t have the capacity to treat them fast enough, let alone deal with the backlog of thousands who have yet to come forward.

“The government has promised an NHS Elective Recovery Plan. This must show how it will tackle spiralling pressures on cancer services. It has never been more crucial to boost NHS capacity to treat and support everybody with cancer, so people receive the critical care they need now and in the years to come.”