Cancer patients should be given a legal right to receive treatment within two months of receiving a GP’s recommendation, experts say. The report, published in the Lancet Oncology, says the NHS should be obliged to arrange treatment for patients in another hospital, private hospital or abroad if they cannot be treated at their home hospital.
In Denmark, cancer patients have a legal right to start treatment within 28 days . Studies show that this system has increased patient survival rates and reduced waiting times. The national cancer plan has not been effective.
The report says cancer patients should also have the right to seek legal protection against specialist doctors for their treatment. Many patients are under great pressure due to delays in treatment.
