NHS England’s medical director addressed fears that the county was unable to keep up with up with demand for cancer screening, and attempted to alleviate concerns by outlining plans to work with Norfolk’s biggest hospital.
The response was prompted following the inquest of 83-year-old Michael Moore, after which the senior coroner Samantha Goward issued a report to prevent future deaths to NHS England.
Mr Moore, of East Harling, died in September last year from a form of bladder cancer. He suffered delays in diagnosis and treatment.
While Mrs Goward said it was not possible to say whether quicker diagnosis and treatment would have helped Mr Moore, she warned that she had concerns others could suffer similar delays.
Senior coroner Samantha Goward has warned about the impact of ‘celebrity’ cancer diagnoses on waiting times (Image: Newsquest/PA)
Mrs Goward wrote: “The evidence of the hospital trust (Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Trust) was that work had been ongoing in recent years to reduce delays, but that while there had been some initial improvement, there had been a further decline.
“I was told [this] was in part due to an increase in referrals due to high profile celebrities announcing their cancer diagnoses and rightly encouraging people to come forward with any symptoms of concern.
“The concern, therefore, is that the NHS does not have the ability to deal with the significant number of cancer referrals received and this is causing significant delays in waiting times, which impacts on those awaiting a diagnosis, undergoing surveillance and delays in diagnosing a recurrence and those awaiting treatment.”
King Charles at Sandringham (Image: Millie Pilkington/Sandringham Estate/PA Wire)
In recent years, several well-known figures have publicly shared cancer diagnoses, including King Charles and the Princess of Wales.
Shortly after the King’s diagnosis was announced, bosses at the N&N said trusts were bracing for an influx of new referrals.
Speaking in February 2024, chief operating officer Chris Cobb said: “We need to be prepared as we will have a lot of activity on the back of the news.”
Mrs Goward’s report was sent to NHS England, which was given until this month to respond.
Prince William and Kate Middleton with their children (from left) Prince Louis, Prince George and Princess Charlotte (Image: PA)
NHS England’s response
In a letter dated November 5, 2025, NHS England’s national medical director offered condolences to Mr Moore’s family and said the concerns raised “have been listened to and reflected upon”.
NHS England said the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board had agreed a series of actions with the urology department at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital (N&N) to address delays.
These included:
A ‘capacity-and-demand’ review aimed at moving away from ad-hoc waiting-list initiatives and expanding the workforce through recruitment, with funding in place to extend a current locum post via the Cancer Alliance.
A ‘review and validation’ of the Category P2 list which is part of the National Clinical Prioritisation Programme, ensuring these patients receive treatment within four to six weeks and are identified and prioritised appropriately.
A ‘case-by-case’ review of patients awaiting rigid cystoscopy and biopsy, as these represent the “highest risk if delayed”, with plans to expedite these cases.
Aerial photo of the N&N (Image: Norfolk and Norfolk Hospital)
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Nationally, NHS England acknowledged the “significant rise” in urgent cancer referrals, reaching 3.2 million in 2024–25 — double the volume seen a decade earlier.
However, it said cancer-waiting-time performance had improved over the past two years.