Black patients 'let down' by cancer care - study

Breast cancer care is "falling short" for black patients and people with learning disabilities, a study has found.

The research, led by the University of Surrey, discovered that these two groups face longer waiting times at "key stages" of their care.

"Our study shows that the country currently has a system that is letting down the patients who already face the most barriers," said associate professor Dr Robert Kerrison.

The study - which looked at more than 86,000 patients' medical records - found black patients had 29 per cent lower odds of being diagnosed through routine breast screening.

They also had a 37 per cent higher chance of being diagnosed after turning up at an A&E department or as an emergency.

Cancers found in emergencies tend to be at a later stage, which lowers the chance of survival, according to the university.

Patients with a learning disability waited 18 per cent longer, on average, for a breast cancer diagnosis after presenting to their GP with a symptom.

One in four waited 29 days or more for a diagnosis, 10 days longer than the general population.

Once diagnosed, black patients waited around five days longer, on average, to start treatment, while patients with a learning disability waited eight per cent longer.

"The inequalities we found are not down to one single thing," said Tetyana Perchyk, research fellow in health data science.

"They add up across the system."

"The next job is to understand why, and to close them."

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