Essex cancer charity says long waiting lists for cancer care is "worst storm it could be"

The government's being warned it's inherited a "ticking time bomb" on cancer care as it's urged to create a plan to deal with it.

In a piece, published in the Lancet Oncology journal, experts argue that UK waiting lists for the disease are "the worst they've ever been”.

Local Essex-based organisation the Helen Rollason Cancer charity say

Hazel Keane, Chief operating officer at the charity in Chelmsford, said: "There's more referrals going through GP surgeries because people are noticing the lumps they should be noticing- quite rightly.

But because of that, and obviously with the stress we know the NHS has on them in terms of staffing and cost, the whole thing has become the worst storm it could possibly be."

"The anxiety around wait time can impact patients. What we try to do is support general anxiety around those long waiting lists- obviously we can't change it- but what we can do is listen.

"The mental health side of people going through a cancer diagnosis isn't valued as much as it could be.

"We understand all the constraints the NHS is under, so charities like ours fill that gap for mental health care."

Read the full story about the inherited "ticking time bomb" here:

Queens University Professor warns NI 'ticking time bomb' when it comes to cancer care

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