§ Sandra GidleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the waiting times were, broken down by regional health authority, for radiography treatment in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [47995]
§ Yvette Cooper[holding answer 10 April 2002]: Waiting times for radiotherapy treatments are not collected centrally. The NHS Cancer Plan set out maximum waiting time targets for first definitive cancer treatment which will come into effect over the next few years. Arrangements to monitor these targets are currently being put in place and will cover radiotherapy where this is the first treatment.
761WFrom December 2001, there is a one month maximum wait from diagnosis to first treatment for breast cancer and a one month wait from urgent general practitioner referral to first treatment for children's, testicular and acute leukaemia. By 2005, there will be a maximum one month wait from diagnosis to first treatment for all cancers. Monitoring of these targets is being introduced and figures will be published as the targets apply.