First reported 11 Feb 2016•Latest report 4 Jul 2024
Definition
What this concern includes
Includes failures in coordinating the end-to-end cancer diagnosis and treatment pathway, including communication between responsible teams, sequencing or concurrency of investigations, reporting, referral, treatment planning and progression to treatment where these directly delay or compromise cancer care.
Not included
Excludes generic communication failures with no cancer diagnosis or treatment context.
Excludes isolated failures in cancer screening, cancer-red-flag recognition or two-week-wait referral where pathway coordination is not the shared unsafe condition; those belong to narrower named concerns.
Excludes delays caused solely by a shortage of scanning, pathology or treatment capacity when no coordination failure is identified.
Excludes clinical treatment or diagnostic decisions made after the cancer pathway has been reliably coordinated.
Reports
3
Distinct published reports
Individual concerns
3
A report can raise multiple concerns
Date range
2016–2024
First to latest report issue date
Stated actions
14
Described in published responses
Reports over time
Reports over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust1
Department of Health and Social Care1
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency1
the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust1
University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust1
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust1
NHS trust3
Medicines and medical devices regulator1
Ministerial department1
Concerns and responses across reports
Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.
East London
Concerns raised1
Poor organisation of cancer diagnosis and treatment
This report raised 8 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.3
Action
Continue working with NHS England and local systems to reduce cancer waiting times and support earlier-stage diagnosis.
Stated by Department of Health and Social CareStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 4 July 2024.
Action
Require responsible consultant approval before removing or deferring any cancer patient from the Patient Tracker List.
Stated by Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 4 July 2024.
Action
Restructure cancer administration pathways to provide new clinical oversight and streamlined communication.
Stated by Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 4 July 2024.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
Position
Medical advice and guidance on medical practice or care quality fall outside the respondent’s remit.
Stated by Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory AgencyOutside remitThe respondent said that this matter was outside its role or authority.
Position
The Trust will respond separately to the concerns about care and processes.
Stated by Department of Health and Social CareRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin
Concerns raised1
Delays in diagnosis and treatment caused by sequential rather than concurrent coordination of tests, reports, appointments and discussions
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.11
Action
Update the standard operating procedure for referring suspected or confirmed lung cancer patients for surgical resection.
Stated by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 8 February 2020.
Action
Streamline the lung cancer diagnostic pathway through direct-to-CT referral, urgent chest X-ray reporting, and coordinated diagnostic processes.
Stated by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 8 February 2020.
Action
Implement and ratify diagnostic bundles specifying appropriate investigations for patient groups and pre-surgical risk assessment.
Stated by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 8 February 2020.
Action
Flag concerning abnormal chest X-rays to the Lung Cancer Team daily.
Stated by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 8 February 2020.
Action
Triage CT results daily after abnormal chest X-rays raise possible lung cancer, alerting the Lung Cancer Team and responsible consultant.
Stated by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 8 February 2020.
Action
Standardize pre-operative assessment to minimize clinically unnecessary tests and associated delays.
Stated by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 8 February 2020.
Action
Allow PET scans to be requested before multidisciplinary discussion, requiring discussion after the PET-CT result.
Stated by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 8 February 2020.
Action
Increase surgical clinical capacity to prevent delays in clinic appointments.
Stated by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 8 February 2020.
Action
Maintain coordinated lung cancer working arrangements with UHNM, including weekly thoracic surgical outpatient clinics and multidisciplinary team attendance.
Stated by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 8 February 2020.
Action
Continue quality improvement work towards compliance with the National Optimal Lung Cancer Pathway.
Stated by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 8 February 2020.
Action
Agree a standard operating procedure for referrals for surgical resection of proven or suspected lung cancer.
Stated by University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 8 February 2020.
Brighton and Hove
Concerns raised1
Failure to ensure timely patient notification of cancer-diagnosis and specialist appointments
This report raised 10 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Includes failures in coordinating the end-to-end cancer diagnosis and treatment pathway, including communication between responsible teams, sequencing or concurrency of investigations, reporting, referral, treatment planning and progression to treatment where these directly delay or compromise cancer care.
