CANCER diagnosis and survival rates in central Bradford are among the lowest in the country, a new report reveals.

Only 44 per cent of people get an early cancer diagnosis in the inner-city, placing it sixth worst in England.

Survival rates within the first year are also below average in the area.

The report shows GP-led Bradford City Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is often missing the national target for cancer treatment waiting times.

In February and March of this year, more than a third of cancer patients waited more than two months from a GP’s urgent referral to starting treatment.

A report by CCG bosses, going before Bradford Council’s health and social care overview and scrutiny committee on Thursday, says cancer waiting times is its “biggest concern”.

It says the problem is a result of “ongoing underperformance” at Bradford Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust, mainly because of increased demand.

Dr Aamer Khan, GP lead for planned care at Bradford City CCG, told the Telegraph & Argus they were “committed to improving cancer care for patients in our city”.

He said: “We have a range of high quality local cancer services that people of all ages can access.

“However, cancer survival and good patient experience is heavily reliant on catching the condition early.

“We are working to improve cancer diagnosis through encouraging uptake of cancer screening, especially amongst black, Asian and minority ethnic communities in our city.”

He said the CCG was also taking part in a programme across West Yorkshire and Harrogate called Healthy Futures, which aims to work collaboratively to improve health services, with cancer being a priority area.

Bradford City CCG was also named the worst in the country for patients’ experience of making an appointment at a GP practice, although this was described as improving.

In contrast, the quality of its leadership is joint best in the country, along with Bradford Districts CCG.

All three of the district’s CCGs - Bradford City, Bradford Districts and Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven - have an overall rating of good from NHS England.

Councillor Vanda Greenwood, who chairs the scrutiny committee, said: “Although we are disappointed with the performance of the cancer survival rates in the Bradford City Clinical Commissioning Group area, this needs to be taken in the context that the CCG is the most economically deprived in the country.

“The Council, alongside the CCG, has been working across the city to raise awareness of screening services and tackle some of the health inequalities that result in the disease.

“There are a number of complex reasons why people aren’t accessing services at the right time and we need to be making sure people get help early.

“I am pleased to see that there have been improvements in terms of patient experience at GPs within the CCG but we will be watching to make sure that there are further improvements to ensure our residents get the right services.”