North Cumbria ranked 85 out of 121 on cancer target

NHS trusts across the country aim to complete the cancer diagnosis and treatment journey within 62 days of an urgent referral.

Between September 2024 and August 2025, North Cumbria Integrated Care (NCIC) was able to meet that national standard for 66.6 per cent of patients.

This fell short of the trust's own 85 per cent target as well as the England average of 68.9 per cent.

The Cumberland Infirmary Hospital in Carlisle. (Image: Newsquest)

The acute health trust, which is responsible for the Cumberland Infirmary and West Cumberland Hospital, also fell short of its target on 28-day diagnosis waits.

NHS England expects cancer to be diagnosed or ruled-out for patients with an urgent referral within 28 days.

NCIC was able to meet this standard for 67.7 per cent of patients, missing its own target of 75 per cent and the England average of 76.6 per cent.

In August 2025, 706 patients in North Cumbria were told they had cancer, or had cancer ruled out, within 28 days of their urgent referral.

A spokesperson for the NHS trust said: "We are aware and concerned that our cancer performance has deteriorated. We apologise to any patients who have experienced delays to their care.

They said: "We know this needs to be urgently addressed, which is why the Board has reprioritised budgets to allow us to invest in the recovery of our cancer performance so that we can reduce backlogs and deliver care to patients in a more timely way. This is starting to have an impact and we are confident that we will see further improvements in the coming months."

The directors of North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust. (Image: Newsquest)

The trust exceeded its own target on the 31 day standard waiting time, performing better than the England average.

NHS England expects trusts to begin treatment for a patient within 31 days of a meeting with their doctor.

NCIC began treatment for patients within 31 days in 96.2 per cent of cases, this was better than the England average of 91.3 per cent.

August 2025 saw 123 patients in North Cumbria begin their cancer treatment 31 days after the decision to proceed.

Patient figures were found in NHS England data sets while percentage analysis and ranking was provided by the BBC.