Whittington Health NHS Trust named England’s most improved cancer service

Whittington Health NHS Trust has been named England's most improved caner service as national figures show the trust’s cancer service made the most improvement in the 62 day performance target when comparing September 2025 with September 2024.

Cancer was named as a core priority in the 10 year NHS plan published in July 2025, which set out how the health service will speed up diagnosis and treatment in the years ahead.

The 62 day urgent referral to first cancer treatment standard says people should start treatment within two months of an urgent referral. The national target is 85 percent, with the national ambition target set at 80% for this year.

Whittington Health has surpassed both the ambitious and national target, achieving 89 percent. This represents an improvement by 24.2 percent over the past year.

 

NHS England sets national targets for each stage of the cancer journey. Hospitals should diagnose or rule out cancer in 75 percent of cases within 28 days of urgent referral, begin treatment in 96 percent of cases within another 31 days, and complete the full journey within 62 days in 85 percent of cases.

 

These targets work together to make sure people get answers and treatment as soon as possible.

It is really important to keep improving towards the 62 day target because each delay can cause real harm. Behind every number is a person who may be living with fear and uncertainty.

Longer waits can lead to worse outcomes, as some cancers grow or spread at different rates. Hitting the target, or making steady progress towards it, helps reduce those waits and gives people faster access to care that could save their life.

The Trust’s achievement highlights clear and sustained progress in the 62 day referral to treatment measure across the trust’s cancer pathways.

Selina Douglas, Chief Executive of Whittington Health NHS Trust said: “We are proud of our colleagues and proud of the service we give to our patients. This rise in our 62 day performance shows how much we want to improve care for every person who needs us. We will keep working to improve patient experience and outcomes, and we will keep building a service that gives people support at every step.”