King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has the second longest wait times in London for routine colonoscopies, a procedure that can detect bowel cancer.

Data published by NHS England shows 44 per cent of patients were waiting longer than the statutory six-week limit for routine referrals at the trust in the last year.

But a spokesperson for the trust said steps had been taken to reduce waiting times, with 95 per cent of urgent cases seen within two weeks.

“We have seen very high demand for our routine colonoscopy service at the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH),” she said.

“Therefore, we have taken a number of steps to reduce waiting times, which include expanding the service to seven days a week.

“Additionally, we have plans to bring in extra staff to help manage demand. With urgent cases, 95 per cent of suspected cancer patients requiring a colonoscopy are seen within two weeks, in line with Government targets.”

The trust is one of 30 in London in breach of the target for routine referrals, second to Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospital NHS Trust, where 56 per cent of patients waited more than six weeks.

Bowel Cancer UK head of policy and campaigns, Asha Kaur, said: “These waiting time figures present a worrying picture for patients and demonstrate the urgent need for the Government to make addressing this capacity crisis a national priority.

“If hospitals are expected to meet waiting time targets then they must be given the resources and capacity to enable them to meet these standards.”

The colonoscopy is one of two tests used to detect cancer at the earliest stage when it is more treatable.