AN overstretched, understaffed health service with exhausted workers under “unsustainable pressure” is putting cancer patients at risk, England’s health ombudsman warned yesterday.

Rob Behrens called for “concerted and sustained action” by the government to allow NHS leaders to put patient safety first.

His comments came as figures from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman revealed that there were 1,019 investigations related to cancer between April 2020 and December 2023.

Of the complaints, 185 cases were upheld or partly upheld.

The most common problems were treatment delays and misdiagnosis, while the majority of investigations involved patients with lung cancer, breast cancer and colorectal cancer.

Other concerns included poor communication in cancer cases, as well as referrals, end-of life care and organisations’ handling of complaints.

Mr Behrens said: “Everyone deserves safe and effective care.

“But patient safety will always be at risk in environments that are understaffed and where staff are exhausted and under unsustainable pressure.”

The Department of Health and Social Care was approached for comment.