A WORRYING drop in the number of cancer scans and number of patients starting their cancer treatment within two months of diagnosis has been revealed by new data.

Nationally, the pandemic has hit hospital services – and a pause on non-urgent treatment, a shortage of radiographers and a reduction in people coming forward for tests are said to have affected scans across England.

Teams at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust performed nearly 19,000 fewer imaging scans between March last year and February in comparison to the same period in 2019-20, NHS figures show.

Imaging tests that can be used to diagnose or detect cancer were carried out 82,300 times during that time – a 19 per cent drop.

The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust performed more than 30,000 fewer imaging scans, and there was a 22 per cent drop in the number of imaging tests.

At North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, there were nearly 30,000 fewer imaging scans performed in the same period; imaging tests were carried out 44,690 times during that time – a 40 per cent drop.

The proportion of cancer patients starting treatment within two months at the County Durham and Darlington Trust fell to a record low in February, separate figures reveal.

As NHS performance against the two-month target also reached its lowest level nationally, Macmillan Cancer Support said the latest statistics reveal the enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on cancer services.

NHS data shows that at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, 62.3 per cent of cancer patients started treatment within 62 days of an urgent GP referral in February, down from 78 per cent in January.

More than three in 10 cancer patients at the North Tees and Hartlepool Trust had been waiting longer than two months; and nearly a quarter of cancer patients at Newcastle Hospitals had been waiting longer than two months.

Across England the number of scans used to diagnose or discount cancer dropped by a quarter to around 8.5m as lockdown measures gripped the health service.

Postponements of non-urgent healthcare throughout spring last year contributed to the steep decline in diagnostic imaging activity levels.

But a reduction in people coming forward for tests has also had an impact, according to an NHS spokesman, while the Royal College of Radiologists say the crisis was exacerbated by a shortage of radiographers that predates the pandemic.

Dr William Ramsden from the RCR said waiting lists for hospital treatments were at a record high, with many patients on those lists likely to require scans.

Calling for investment in radiologist training, he added: “The pause in non-elective NHS work during the coronavirus peak last spring had a huge knock-on impact on waits for scans and treatment.

“NHS England has helped increase radiology capacity, coming through with emergency funding for scanners and private provider support, which must continue.”

Dr Ramsden said the RCR supported NHS plans to speed up scan access via diagnostic hubs but said thousands more radiologists were needed in order to ensure the changes could be implemented successfully and patients treated, scanned and diagnosed in a timely manner.

An NHS spokesperson praised the tireless efforts of NHS staff and said diagnostic imaging services had continued despite the impact of the pandemic, with 90 per cent of urgent referrals with suspected cancer seen within two weeks in February.

She added: “We know that fewer people have come forward for checks during the pandemic but we continue to urge anyone experiencing worrying symptoms that could be cancer to contact their GP as soon as possible so the NHS can investigate them as soon as possible.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said the Government is committed to providing high quality cancer care, with cancer diagnosis and treatment remaining “a top priority” throughout the pandemic.

“More than 2.5 million urgent referrals were made within waiting time targets in the past year alone and for every coronavirus patient, two cancer patients received treatment,” they added.

A group of MPs, charities and Royal Colleges are calling on the Government to provide urgent funding for cancer services to tackle the Covid-19 induced backlog and "save thousands of lives."

A declaration, signed by doctors and organisations including Cancer Research UK and the Institute of Cancer Policy, says: "We further urge the Government to recognise that to catch up with the cancer backlog, NHS services need the tools to “super-boost” capacity above pre-pandemic levels."