NHS England region
Cancer waiting times in East of England
14 NHS trusts in East of England, with how quickly people were told whether they have cancer and how quickly they started treatment in August 2026. In England, 72% started treatment within 62 days of an urgent referral.
People with cancer who started their first treatment within 62 days, about two months, of an urgent referral. The clock starts when the hospital gets the referral (from a GP, screening, or a hospital doctor who suspects cancer) and stops when treatment such as surgery, drugs or radiotherapy begins.
NHS trusts in East of England
Highest share first, by the 62-day standard. Neighbouring trusts are often only a person or two apart. These are NHS England’s figures for the month, not a grade or a verdict on the care. A specialist centre takes the most complex cases from a wide area, and some people wait longer for good medical reasons or by their own choice.
West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
- Told within 28 days
- 87%
- 1,557 of 1,795 people, whether they have cancer, after an urgent referral
- 8 percentage points higher than England (79%). NHS England’s standard: 75%.
- Treated within 31 days of the decision
- 97%
- 172 of 177 people, from agreeing the treatment to starting it
- 5 percentage points higher than England (92%). NHS England’s standard: 96%.
- Treated within 62 days of referral
- 81%
- 141 of 175 people, from an urgent referral to the first treatment
- 9 percentage points higher than England (72%). NHS England’s standard: 85%.
East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust
- Told within 28 days
- 66%
- 928 of 1,414 people, whether they have cancer, after an urgent referral
- 13 percentage points lower than England (79%). NHS England’s standard: 75%.
- Treated within 31 days of the decision
- 97%
- 801 of 830 people, from agreeing the treatment to starting it
- 5 percentage points higher than England (92%). NHS England’s standard: 96%.
- Treated within 62 days of referral
- 80%
- 180½ of 227 people, from an urgent referral to the first treatment
- 8 percentage points higher than England (72%). NHS England’s standard: 85%.
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
- Told within 28 days
- 75%
- 857 of 1,144 people, whether they have cancer, after an urgent referral
- 4 percentage points lower than England (79%). NHS England’s standard: 75%.
- Treated within 31 days of the decision
- 100%
- 230 of 230 people, from agreeing the treatment to starting it
- 8 percentage points higher than England (92%). NHS England’s standard: 96%.
- Treated within 62 days of referral
- 79%
- 101½ of 129 people, from an urgent referral to the first treatment
- 7 percentage points higher than England (72%). NHS England’s standard: 85%.
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Told within 28 days
- 83%
- 2,032 of 2,452 people, whether they have cancer, after an urgent referral
- 4 percentage points higher than England (79%). NHS England’s standard: 75%.
- Treated within 31 days of the decision
- 93%
- 787 of 847 people, from agreeing the treatment to starting it
- 1 percentage point higher than England (92%). NHS England’s standard: 96%.
- Treated within 62 days of referral
- 75%
- 201 of 267½ people, from an urgent referral to the first treatment
- 3 percentage points higher than England (72%). NHS England’s standard: 85%.
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust
- Told within 28 days
- 82%
- 1,871 of 2,275 people, whether they have cancer, after an urgent referral
- 3 percentage points higher than England (79%). NHS England’s standard: 75%.
- Treated within 31 days of the decision
- 96%
- 347 of 361 people, from agreeing the treatment to starting it
- 4 percentage points higher than England (92%). NHS England’s standard: 96%.
- Treated within 62 days of referral
- 73%
- 194½ of 265 people, from an urgent referral to the first treatment
- 1 percentage point higher than England (72%). NHS England’s standard: 85%.
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Told within 28 days
- 76%
- 2,218 of 2,918 people, whether they have cancer, after an urgent referral
- 3 percentage points lower than England (79%). NHS England’s standard: 75%.
- Treated within 31 days of the decision
- 92%
- 532 of 579 people, from agreeing the treatment to starting it
- The same as England (92%). NHS England’s standard: 96%.
- Treated within 62 days of referral
- 72%
- 223½ of 308½ people, from an urgent referral to the first treatment
- The same as England (72%). NHS England’s standard: 85%.
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Told within 28 days
- 76%
- 891 of 1,165 people, whether they have cancer, after an urgent referral
- 3 percentage points lower than England (79%). NHS England’s standard: 75%.
- Treated within 31 days of the decision
- 95%
- 165 of 174 people, from agreeing the treatment to starting it
- 3 percentage points higher than England (92%). NHS England’s standard: 96%.
- Treated within 62 days of referral
- 66%
- 82 of 125 people, from an urgent referral to the first treatment
- 6 percentage points lower than England (72%). NHS England’s standard: 85%.
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
- Told within 28 days
- 73%
- 2,992 of 4,124 people, whether they have cancer, after an urgent referral
- 6 percentage points lower than England (79%). NHS England’s standard: 75%.
- Treated within 31 days of the decision
- 93%
- 814 of 878 people, from agreeing the treatment to starting it
- 1 percentage point higher than England (92%). NHS England’s standard: 96%.
- Treated within 62 days of referral
- 65%
- 306 of 473 people, from an urgent referral to the first treatment
- 7 percentage points lower than England (72%). NHS England’s standard: 85%.
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, NHS Foundation Trust
- Told within 28 days
- 73%
- 1,080 of 1,489 people, whether they have cancer, after an urgent referral
- 6 percentage points lower than England (79%). NHS England’s standard: 75%.
- Treated within 31 days of the decision
- 95%
- 122 of 129 people, from agreeing the treatment to starting it
- 3 percentage points higher than England (92%). NHS England’s standard: 96%.
- Treated within 62 days of referral
- 65%
- 53 of 81½ people, from an urgent referral to the first treatment
- 7 percentage points lower than England (72%). NHS England’s standard: 85%.
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Told within 28 days
- 77%
- 2,289 of 2,985 people, whether they have cancer, after an urgent referral
- 2 percentage points lower than England (79%). NHS England’s standard: 75%.
- Treated within 31 days of the decision
- 94%
- 311 of 330 people, from agreeing the treatment to starting it
- 2 percentage points higher than England (92%). NHS England’s standard: 96%.
- Treated within 62 days of referral
- 61%
- 152 of 247½ people, from an urgent referral to the first treatment
- 11 percentage points lower than England (72%). NHS England’s standard: 85%.
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust
- Told within 28 days
- 72%
- 1,402 of 1,954 people, whether they have cancer, after an urgent referral
- 7 percentage points lower than England (79%). NHS England’s standard: 75%.
- Treated within 31 days of the decision
- 94%
- 126 of 134 people, from agreeing the treatment to starting it
- 2 percentage points higher than England (92%). NHS England’s standard: 96%.
- Treated within 62 days of referral
- 61%
- 69½ of 113½ people, from an urgent referral to the first treatment
- 11 percentage points lower than England (72%). NHS England’s standard: 85%.
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Told within 28 days
- 84%
- 1,309 of 1,563 people, whether they have cancer, after an urgent referral
- 5 percentage points higher than England (79%). NHS England’s standard: 75%.
- Treated within 31 days of the decision
- 97%
- 201 of 208 people, from agreeing the treatment to starting it
- 5 percentage points higher than England (92%). NHS England’s standard: 96%.
- Treated within 62 days of referral
- 60%
- 81 of 134½ people, from an urgent referral to the first treatment
- 12 percentage points lower than England (72%). NHS England’s standard: 85%.
Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust
- Told within 28 days
- 64%
- 2,589 of 4,029 people, whether they have cancer, after an urgent referral
- 15 percentage points lower than England (79%). NHS England’s standard: 75%.
- Treated within 31 days of the decision
- 83%
- 661 of 796 people, from agreeing the treatment to starting it
- 9 percentage points lower than England (92%). NHS England’s standard: 96%.
- Treated within 62 days of referral
- 55%
- 241 of 437 people, from an urgent referral to the first treatment
- 17 percentage points lower than England (72%). NHS England’s standard: 85%.
Trusts with few people treated in August 2026
Fewer than 20 people started treatment here after an urgent referral that month, too few to place in the order above: a person or two would move the share a lot. In alphabetical order, with their figures.
Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Told within 28 days
- 17%
- 1 of 6 people, whether they have cancer, after an urgent referral
- 62 percentage points lower than England (79%). NHS England’s standard: 75%.
- Treated within 31 days of the decision
- 91%
- 29 of 32 people, from agreeing the treatment to starting it
- 1 percentage point lower than England (92%). NHS England’s standard: 96%.
- Treated within 62 days of referral
- 79%
- 15 of 19 people, from an urgent referral to the first treatment
- 7 percentage points higher than England (72%). NHS England’s standard: 85%.
Where the figures come from
The waits that ended in August 2026, as each trust reported them to NHS England.
Source: NHS England, Cancer Waiting Times, April 2025 to August 2026, published 8 October 2026. Open Government Licence. England’s figures count every provider, the 48 not listed here included.
Data updated
The month each source’s data runs to, and when its publisher released it.
- Cancer Waiting Times: (published 8 October 2026)
Sources
- Contains public sector information from NHS England licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0: Cancer Waiting Times, monthly statistics.