Overview
- Four in 10 people living with cancer say location has limited their access to care, which Macmillan extrapolates to nearly 1.4 million patients.
- More than a third of patients report hour‑plus trips for tests or treatment, and 3% say they turned down care because of travel, which Macmillan says could represent about 100,000 people.
- Macmillan’s analysis of NHS data suggests roughly 60,000 additional patients would have started treatment on time last year if all regions performed as well as the top areas.
- NHS England’s June figures show 76.8% met the 28‑day diagnostic standard and 67.1% started treatment within 62 days, with a goal of 75% by March 2026.
- An NHS spokesperson says more people are being treated and points to the National Cancer Plan, while Young Lives vs Cancer reports average 80‑mile trips costing about £250 a month for families.