Former cancer director backs 18‑week dementia referral target, urges Burnham

England’s former national cancer director has publicly endorsed the government’s proposal to set an 18‑week referral‑to‑treatment target for patients with suspected cancer. The target, which would measure the time from a GP’s urgent referral to the start of first definitive treatment, is intended to replace the current 62‑day standard and align England’s cancer pathway with the European Union’s recommendations on timely care.

Sir Mike Richards, who served as national cancer director from 2013 to 2021, said the 18‑week benchmark is both achievable and essential for improving survival rates and patient experience. He highlighted that, as of the latest NHS England data, only about half of patients meet the existing 62‑day target, and diagnostic backlogs have lengthened waiting times across the system. Richards argued that a clear, longer‑term horizon would give hospitals and cancer networks a more realistic framework for planning resources, streamlining diagnostics, and coordinating multidisciplinary treatment plans.

The endorsement adds weight to the Ministry of Health’s ongoing review of cancer waiting‑time standards and may influence the final shape of the policy before it is formally adopted. If implemented, the 18‑week target could become a central metric for NHS England’s cancer strategy, with progress monitored through regular reporting and linked to funding allocations for cancer services.