The effects of delayed Cancer treatment across the UK

November is both lung cancer and pancreatic cancer awareness month. Lung cancer is the most common cancer in the world and in the UK, around 44,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. It is the most common cause of cancer death in the UK for both men and women.

Recent research[i] from the UK Lung Cancer Coalition (UKLCC) has revealed that the number of patients being urgently referred to a lung cancer specialist in the UK dropped by 75% in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. At least one third of those already diagnosed have died since the beginning of the pandemic.

While the charity Pancreatic Cancer UK has highlighted that more than half of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer die within 3 months. The Covid-19 crisis has increased waiting lists for some pancreatic cancer treatment by up to 2 months. But the charity is concerned that people with pancreatic cancer can’t afford to wait that long.

Other figures from Cancer Research[ii] suggest that the number of cancer patients starting treatment between April and July 2020 in the UK has reduced by 26% compared with the same period in 2019.

In June, the NHS Confederation[iii] warned that the Covid-19 crisis could see the number of people waiting for NHS treatment double to 10 million by the end of the year.

Cheryl Brennan, Executive Director for Health and Benefits at Howden Employee Benefits & Wellbeing says, “Cancer will affect many employees during their working life, but cases could escalate in the coming years as people have delayed seeking treatment since Covid-19 hit. Prior to Covid, many employers were already recognising the impact a cancer diagnosis can have on an individual’s health, finances and family lives and started to offer health benefits to support their workforce wellbeing.”

“This is even more crucial now and we are seeing more companies offering private medical insurance (PMI) for their employees to help them access treatment more quickly and plan their treatment around their busy schedules. PMI also gives people greater choice over which hospital and consultant they prefer, and in some cases access to drugs that are not widely available on the NHS.”

“Employees are likely to place enormous value on medical benefits in the future. Having private medical insurance can give them peace of mind that they can get a diagnosis and access to treatment quickly. This is essential with cancer and prolonged delays in diagnosis may make the difference between it being treatable or not.’’

“We recommend businesses considering private medical insurance for the first time to seek advice. Healthcare insurance can be complicated and using a specialist broker experienced within the marketplace who understands the products in all their complex intricacies is recommended. They will know the benefits and pitfalls of policies and can recommend the level of cover and policy that is right for the business and their budget.”

For more information, please visit: https://www.howdengroup.com/uk-en/cover/employee-benefits-and-wellbeing-consulting