MTP6.16 Investigating the length of time to surgical treatment from urgent referral and date of decision colorectal cancer with surgery between patients who require an IV iron infusion and those who don't require an infusion

Introduction National cancer guidelines mandate a maximum of 31 days from the decision to treat to surgical intervention and 62 days from urgent referral to cancer treatment. This audit examines whether patients requiring intravenous (IV) iron infusions for colorectal cancer patients undergoing surgical treatment. experience delays compared to those who don't. Aims To compare the time to surgical treatment from urgent referral and date of decision to treat who require IV iron infusions and those who do not and to evaluate the impact of a targeted intervention. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 68 patients in the first cycle, comparing timeframes from decision-to-treat and urgent referral to surgery. A targeted intervention was implemented, including earlier iron testing and expedited referrals for infusions. Post-intervention, a closed-loop audit with 19 patients was performed to assess outcomes. Results In the first cycle, patients requiring iron infusions experienced longer delays than those not needing infusions (mean 56.1 vs. 27.9 days from decision-to-treat; and 144.1 vs. 101.9 days from urgent referral). Both groups breached national waiting time targets. Post-intervention, delays for infusion patients significantly decreased (mean 24.3 vs. 31.4 days from decision-to-treat; and 71.7 vs. 82.1 days from urgent referral). Notably, this reversed the pattern from the first cycle, as infusion patients experienced shorter delays than non-infusion patients. Breaches reduced in both groups. Conclusions The intervention markedly reduced surgical delays for patients requiring IV iron infusions, demonstrating its efficacy. The reversal in delay patterns highlights the importance of proactive management strategies for high-risk patients.