Latest published waiting times show that patients diagnosed with cancer are receiving their treatment more quickly.

Targets and waiting times for hospital appointments and life-threatening 999 calls were published for the first time in April this year.

Figures for January 1 to March 31 show cancer care in the island is improving in three key areas compared to the previous quarter.

Some 78 per cent of patients referred to hospital with suspected cancer were seen within two weeks, an improvement of 8 per cent.

Eighty seven per cent of patients diagnosed with cancer received treatment within 31 days of diagnosis, an improvement of 13 per cent.

And 83 per cent of patients diagnosed with cancer received treatment within 62 days of urgent referral by a GP, an improvement of 14 per cent.

The percentage of life-threatening 999 calls being attended by ambulance crews within 20 minutes also improved, jumping from 82 per cent to 91 per cent, while attendance by a first-responder within eight minutes worsened slightly by 1 per cent, falling to 58 per cent.

The number of patients being admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours of arriving at the Noble’s A&E remained the same, with 75 per cent of patients being dealt with during that timeframe.

For outpatient hospital appointments, the number of people being seen for their first outpatient appointment within 52 weeks increased to 88 per cent, an improvement of 1 per cent. There was also a reduction in the percentage of people waiting longer than three months for their first hospital outpatient appointment, falling to 46 per cent, an improvement of 2 per cent.

The performance for inpatient appointments remains unchanged with 86 per cent having their operation or procedure within 52 weeks of being placed on the waiting list following their outpatient appointment and 35 per cent waiting longer than six months to have their operation or procedure following their outpatient appointment.

Health and Social Care Minister Kate Beecroft said: ’The team at Noble’s Hospital has been working tirelessly to meet the new targets we have set for cancer care waiting times and I am very pleased with the tremendous progress that has been made.

’In July 2016 only 38 per cent of those with a suspected cancer were being seen within two weeks, so it’s easy to see the efforts that have been made to reach the current level of 78 per cent.

’There clearly remains much work to do, especially in areas such as orthopaedics and pain management, but many waiting times are moving in the right direction. The department is committed to publishing waiting times every three months and welcomes the added public scrutiny this brings.’