NHS trust · South West
Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
How quickly people at Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust were told whether they have cancer, and how quickly they started treatment, in August 2026 and the year before it.
Cancer waiting times in August 2026
- Told within 28 days
- 77%
- 866 of 1,131 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
- 90%
- 194 of 215 people, from agreeing the treatment to starting it
- 2 percentage points lower than England (92%). NHS England’s standard: 96%.
- Treated within 62 days of referral
- 78%
- 114½ of 147½ people, from an urgent referral to the first treatment
- 6 percentage points higher than England (72%). NHS England’s standard: 85%.
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.
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.
What the 28, 31 and 62 days mean
Told within 28 days. People referred urgently because cancer was suspected (by a GP, a dentist, a screening programme, or for breast symptoms) who were told within 28 days, four weeks, that they have cancer or that it has been ruled out. NHS England’s standard is 75 in every 100 people, which it said in 2023 would rise to 80.
Treated within 31 days of the decision. People with cancer who started a treatment within 31 days, about a month, of the day they and their doctor agreed on it. It counts first treatments and later ones, such as surgery after chemotherapy. NHS England’s standard is 96 in every 100 people.
Treated within 62 days of 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 England’s standard is 85 in every 100 people.
Month by month
The share inside each standard, month by month, from September 2025 to August 2026.
| Month | Told within 28 days |
|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 66% |
| Oct 2025 | 75% |
| Nov 2025 | 75% |
| Dec 2025 | 77% |
| Jan 2026 | 74% |
| Feb 2026 | 84% |
| Mar 2026 | 78% |
| Apr 2026 | 78% |
| May 2026 | 76% |
| Jun 2026 | No figure |
| Jul 2026 | 79% |
| Aug 2026 | 77% |
77% in August 2026. England: 79%.
No figure for June 2026: the trust counted nobody on this standard that month. The line is not drawn across a gap.
| Month | Treated within 31 days of the decision |
|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 95% |
| Oct 2025 | 95% |
| Nov 2025 | 92% |
| Dec 2025 | 94% |
| Jan 2026 | 95% |
| Feb 2026 | 98% |
| Mar 2026 | 99% |
| Apr 2026 | 95% |
| May 2026 | 95% |
| Jun 2026 | No figure |
| Jul 2026 | 91% |
| Aug 2026 | 90% |
90% in August 2026. England: 92%.
No figure for June 2026: the trust counted nobody on this standard that month. The line is not drawn across a gap.
| Month | Treated within 62 days of referral |
|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 67% |
| Oct 2025 | 73% |
| Nov 2025 | 66% |
| Dec 2025 | 76% |
| Jan 2026 | 73% |
| Feb 2026 | 76% |
| Mar 2026 | 74% |
| Apr 2026 | 72% |
| May 2026 | 63% |
| Jun 2026 | 27% |
| Jul 2026 | 61% |
| Aug 2026 | 78% |
78% in August 2026. England: 72%.
Figures from April 2026 on are provisional: NHS England revises them when the year is final.
Told within 28 days, by suspected cancer
August 2026, in NHS England’s order, not a ranking. England’s share is under each name.
| Suspected cancer | Told within 28 days |
|---|---|
| BreastEngland: 88% | 94% (131 of 139) |
| Breast symptoms, cancer not suspectedEngland: 90% | 98% (53 of 54) |
| BowelEngland: 68% | 26% (38 of 149) |
| Oesophagus, stomach, liver and pancreasEngland: 78% | 61% (63 of 103) |
| LungEngland: 78% | 88% (29 of 33) |
| SkinEngland: 86% | 94% (303 of 321) |
| Prostate, bladder and kidneyEngland: 68% | 88% (88 of 100) |
| TesticularEngland: 85% | 87% (13 of 15) |
| Womb, ovary and cervixEngland: 69% | 55% (51 of 93) |
| Head and neckEngland: 76% | 79% (88 of 111) |
| Blood cancers (not acute leukaemia)England: 62% | 89% (8 of 9) |
| Children's cancerEngland: 89% | 100% (1 of 1) |
| Unclear symptomsEngland: 76% | 0% (0 of 2) |
| OtherEngland: 72% | 0% (0 of 1) |
Treated in time, by type of cancer
August 2026, in NHS England’s order, not a ranking. England’s shares (31 days, then 62 days) are under each name.
| Cancer | Within 31 days of the decision | Within 62 days of referral |
|---|---|---|
| BreastEngland: 91% and 71% | 98% (52 of 53) | 64% (13½ of 21) |
| BowelEngland: 93% and 62% | 84% (16 of 19) | 42% (5 of 12) |
| Oesophagus and stomachEngland: 97% and 70% | 100% (6 of 6) | 89% (4 of 4½) |
| Liver, gallbladder and pancreasEngland: 96% and 79% | 50% (1 of 2) | 75% (1½ of 2) |
| LungEngland: 93% and 62% | 92% (12 of 13) | 74% (10 of 13½) |
| SkinEngland: 87% and 87% | 76% (47 of 62) | 100% (43 of 43) |
| ProstateEngland: 92% and 71% | 100% (34 of 34) | 81% (22 of 27) |
| Bladder, kidney and other urologicalEngland: 87% and 61% | 100% (11 of 11) | 67% (6 of 9) |
| Womb, ovary and cervixEngland: 92% and 61% | 100% (2 of 2) | 0% (0 of 3½) |
| Head and neckEngland: 92% and 60% | 100% (1 of 1) | 100% (1½ of 1½) |
| LymphomaEngland: 98% and 68% | 100% (5 of 5) | 73% (4 of 5½) |
| Other blood cancersEngland: 99% and 90% | 100% (3 of 3) | 100% (2 of 2) |
| Other cancersEngland: 96% and 81% | 100% (4 of 4) | 67% (2 of 3) |
A count can end in a half: when two hospitals share a person’s care, NHS England counts half of that person at each.
More about the trust
The trust’s other waiting times, from NHS England.
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.