SaTH NHS Trust Achieves Record Cancer Treatment Waiting Times
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust reports significant improvements in diagnosis and treatment times, ranking highly nationally.
By Aisha Mahmood
••2 min read
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Generic image of medical diagnostic equipment.
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) has achieved its best-ever performance for cancer treatment waiting times, with more patients receiving earlier diagnosis and faster treatment.
In August 2026, 76.7% of patients began cancer treatment within 62 days of referral, a significant improvement that places the Trust 41st out of 122 reporting Trusts nationally. This marks a substantial rise from its previous ranking of 112th in February 2025. SaTH is aiming to reach 80% by March 2027 and the national standard of 85% in the subsequent financial year.
The Trust has also enhanced its performance in diagnosing or ruling out suspected cancer within four weeks. In August 2026, 87.8% of patients with suspected cancer were processed within 28 days, exceeding the national Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS) target of 80%. This achievement positions SaTH as the fifth best performing trust in the country for the 28-day FDS, a remarkable turnaround from being ranked 119th just over 18 months prior.
These advancements are attributed to the Trust’s cancer services transformation plan, which includes reducing referral-to-first-outpatient-appointment times, ensuring timely access to diagnostic tests and scans (typically under 10 days from request to report), and investing in workforce expansion, including specialist cancer nursing and patient navigator roles.
Further improvements include expanded radiotherapy capacity with an additional linear accelerator (LINAC), the introduction of new treatments, and the development of the Trust’s cancer clinical trials portfolio. Plans are also in place for additional chemotherapy capacity in Telford.
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"This is positive news for our patients who are experiencing shorter waits for a diagnosis and the treatment they need. Thank you to our fantastic teams who have been instrumental in driving these improvements with empathy, kindness and compassion. We know we have more to do, but these improvements reflect the determination of staff to ensure our patients are seen, diagnosed and treated as quickly as possible."
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"Waiting for a diagnosis or to have cancer ruled out, and then waiting for treatment to start, is an incredibly worrying and anxious time for patients and their loved ones. We are proud of the progress made so far, which is the result of the commitment of our cancer teams and all supporting services to deliver timely, high-quality person-centred care for patients."
