EAST Lancashire Hospitals is struggling to meet an essential cancer target due to staff shortages.

Under NHS guidelines hospital trusts are required to treat at least 85 per cent of people suspected to have cancer within 62 days of referral.

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust narrowly missed this target in May, seeing 84.8 per cent of patients on time.

But health chiefs have now revealed that they expect a result of around 80 per cent for June – a score that means the trust is in danger of failing to meet its quarterly goal.

Director of operations Val Bertenshaw said that the highest proportion of breaches could be seen in upper gastrointestinal (GI), colorectal and breast cancer patients.

Speaking at the trust’s latest board meeting, she said: “One of the reasons is we have been unable to recruit a breast surgeon to replace a retired consultant.”

She said the trust was hoping to appoint a temporary breast surgeon to start work in October.

The trust is also creating a role in its cancer management team for a dedicated manager with a remit of improving waiting times.

According to the health watchdog Monitor, the 62-day cancer target is one of the toughest challenges for hospitals to meet.

Speaking after the meeting, Mrs Bertenshaw said: “In common with many other trusts, we have seen some deterioration in performance against the 62-day cancer target.

“We are working hard to ensure performance improves against these standards.

“Some patients experience delays in their treatment because their conditions are more complex. They may have a particularly difficult tumour or have other illnesses and conditions which make their cancer treatment more complicated.

“We are working to improve planning to ensure that even complex pathways can be accommodated within the 62 day timeline and will be monitoring each case closely to ensure enough capacity is made available to so this.”