The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) reported on 4 February 2026 that nearly 86% of patients referred to the Trust with suspected cancer received a diagnosis or had cancer ruled out within 28 days. The Trust said the figure — 85.9% (reported as ‘nearly 86%’) — is based on its November 2025 performance data and exceeds the national 28‑day Faster Diagnosis Standard interim target of 80%.
SaTH and local health leaders say the improvement will reduce patient anxiety by giving answers sooner and help people who do have cancer start treatment earlier, improving chances of better outcomes.
The Trust attributes the turnaround to a package of changes that increased diagnostic capacity and streamlined pathways, notably the Hospitals Transformation Programme (HTP) and the Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) at Hollinswood House in Telford. The CDC — opened in October 2023 and now offering radiology (CT, X‑ray, ultrasound and MRI), pathology and other tests — and newly installed scanners have helped shift non‑urgent testing away from acute hospital sites and reduce delays caused by emergency pressures.
The improvement is a rapid recovery from a year earlier, when SaTH was bottom‑placed on the 28‑day Faster Diagnosis Standard (119/119 in February 2025). The Trust has also seen progress on the 62‑day referral‑to‑treatment metric: its November 2025 position was 69 out of 122 Trusts (62‑day performance around 70.2%), up from 112 out of 122 a year earlier. The turnaround follows the multi‑million‑pound Hospitals Transformation Programme, funded at £312 million, which is investing in new facilities and diagnostic capacity across the county.
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
