CANCER patients in the North are dying needlessly because of long waits for treatment, a report is expected to reveal this week.
MPs on the Commons public accounts committee have found that sufferers in the North stand less chance of getting life-saving treatment than people in the South.
Their report is likely to confirm a National Audit Commission report last March, which found that cancer patients in the North-East had the lowest survival rates in the country because of a "postcode lottery".
The new report is expected to conclude that a third of cancer patients are still not referred quickly enough by their GP.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article