Cancer waiting times summary
2 week wait (14 days)
Applicable to cases of suspected cancer urgently referred by a GP or Dentist. The 2 weeks is from the date the referral was made to the date the patient was first seen by a specialist (usually an outpatient appointment). The results are split between referrals received by the Acute Trust within and outside 24 hours.
1 month wait (31 days)
Applicable to all cancer diagnoses. The 1 month is from the date of decision to treat (the date the consultant and the patient agree the treatment plan) to the date of the first definitive treatment.
2 month wait (62 days)
Applicable to all patients diagnosed with cancer who were urgently referred by their GP/Dentist (i.e. those referred via the 2 week wait). Note that the 2 month wait applies to all patients referred through the urgent GP process regardless of whether their referral was received within 24 hours by the Acute Trust. The 2 months is from the date of the GP/Dentist referral to the date of the first definitive treatment.
Note that for acute leukaemia, children’s cancer and testicular cancer the target from urgent GP referral to first treatment is 31 days.