Cancer care under fire

The quality of care offered to cancer patients is still dependent on where they live despite an increase in specialists and improvement in survival rates.

Most patients referred to a specialist as urgent by their GP are seen within two weeks, according to a review by the Audit Commission and the Commission for Health Improvement (Chi), out today. But patients not classed urgent can face a wait of eight weeks.

Peter Homa, chief executive of Chi, said: "The NHS isn't providing an acceptable level of care to all patients with cancer." Peter Cardy, chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Relief, said: "We need more cancer specialists across the country."