This Is Why Why is the NHS lagging behind on cancer care?
Feb 3, 2026
Jesper Fisker, chief executive of the Danish Cancer Society, explains how Denmark rebuilt cancer care with national plans and fast pathways. Ashish Joshi, Sky News health correspondent, outlines England’s rising waits, resource gaps and the stakes of delayed diagnosis. They compare system reforms, investment in diagnostics, and political will driving rapid treatment.
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Waiting Feels Like A Year
- Personal stories underline the human cost of delays and poor cancer care on the NHS.
- Patients and families experience extreme anxiety and worse outcomes when diagnosis and treatment are slow.
England Lags Due To Late Diagnosis
- England has missed cancer targets since 2014 and lags comparable countries on survival outcomes.
- Late presentation and limited diagnostic capacity largely explain poor returns on cancer spending.
Delay Costs Lives Fast
- Every month a cancer remains undetected raises the risk of death by about 10%.
- Fast diagnosis and immediate treatment materially improve survival chances.