PATIENTS in Worcestershire could be at greater risk from bowel cancer because of long waiting times for exploratory tests in hospitals.

More than 10 per cent of patients in the county waited more than six weeks for exploratory bowel procedures at local hospitals, new figures show.

The figures, released by NHS England, show 13 per cent of patients waiting for a colonoscopy appointment at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust in February had waited more than six weeks.

It means the trust missed the NHS standard of less than one per cent of patients waiting more than six weeks for the tests, also known as endoscopy tests, that could diagnose bowel cancer.

The wait for tests has been slammed by charity Bowel Cancer UK, which says later diagnosis could affect cancer sufferers' chances of survival.

However, the trust says the long waiting times were due to a steep rise in the number of people needing the procedures – with the number of endoscopy patients at its hospitals rising by 13.5 per cent between 2015/16 and 2016/17.

The increased demand for the tests is believed to be due to a number of factors, including an ageing population and an increase in symptom awareness.

A lack of capacity in hospitals is also blamed for the long waiting times for appointments.

Asha Kaur, head of policy at Bowel Cancer UK, said: "These figures are very disappointing.

"It is unacceptable that patients are being made to wait more than six weeks for endoscopy tests.

"How soon someone is seen determines how early a diagnosis can be made.

"We know that if diagnosed at the earliest stage more than nine in 10 will survive for five years or more.

"However this drops significantly as the disease develops."

The charity is calling on the Government to invest more money in early diagnosis services for bowel cancer to increase the capacity of endoscopy units and alleviate the pressure on hospitals.

A spokesman for Worcestershire Acute Trust said: "We apologise to patients who are waiting longer than expected and working to reduce waiting times.

"The increased waiting times are due to an increase in demand of 13.5 per cent between 2015/16 and 2016/17.

"We are working hard to maximise our capacity internally to make sure all endoscopy appointments are used.

"In addition, we have been working with the Independent Sector for some months and will continue to offer patients the choice of having their scope in the private sector."

There were 21 hospitals in the Midlands and East of England that did not meet the NHS standard of less than one percent of patients waiting more than six weeks for tests that could diagnose bowel cancer.

More than 15,900 people die from bowel cancer every year in the UK making it the nation's second biggest cancer killer.