UHCW ranked second nationally for faster cancer diagnosis performance

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust has been ranked second best in the country for the speed at which it diagnoses or rules out cancer, according to the latest national data.

The Trust achieved a Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS) performance of 83.8 per cent in January, placing it second among comparable NHS acute trusts in England and well ahead of the national average of 72.8 per cent.

The NHS 28‑day Faster Diagnosis Standard ensures patients referred urgently with suspected cancer are told whether they have cancer, or that it has been ruled out, within 28 days. This is designed to reduce anxiety for patients and allow treatment to begin as quickly as possible where needed.

UHCW’s performance represents a significant year‑on‑year improvement, with January’s result standing 15.1 percentage points higher than the same month last year. This equates to 319 more patients receiving clarity about their diagnosis within four weeks.

The Trust was also the fourth most improved nationally over the past year, bucking the wider national trend which saw overall FDS performance fall slightly over the same period.

“Being ranked second in the country for faster cancer diagnosis is a tremendous achievement and reflects the dedication, skill and teamwork of our colleagues across cancer pathways,” said Chief Operating Officer Gaby Harris.

“We know how stressful it can be for patients waiting for answers and this performance means more people are getting clarity sooner.

“I want to thank everyone involved for their commitment to improving care and outcomes for our patients.”

The rankings are based on published national data and exclude specialist cancer and single‑specialty trusts to allow for fair comparison between large acute providers.