Cancer treatment in Medway is among the poorest in the country, according to new figures from NHS England.

Analysis of cancer care, published this week, rated Medway as one of 24 clinical commissioning groups in England with "Greatest Need for Improvement", of the country's 209 CCGs.

Speaking at the Conservative Party conference this week, health secretary Jeremy Hunt said the league tables "will not make comfortable reading" - with groups around the country failing to meet targets on early diagnosis, one year survival rates, initial treatment within 62 days, and overall patient experience.

Of the rest, 156 were rated as "Needs Improvement", while only 27 were listed as "performing well", and seven labelled "top performing".

In Medway, only 44.6% of cancer patients were diagnosed at an early stage, with 71.3% receiving initial treatment within 62 days of referral from their GP, and 65.3% surviving beyond a year.

By contrast Richmond CCG achieved 53.6%, 97.5% and 73.3% for the same set of indicators.

Elsewhere in Kent, Ashford CCG, West Kent CCG and Canterbury & Coastal CCG were listed as needing improvement, but all achieved one year survival rates of at least 70%.

Mr Hunt told the conference that the country had for many years had the lowest cancer survival rates in West Europe; and that the government was committed to building "a safer NHS doing more than ever to fight cancer."

An NHS Medway CCG spokesperson said: "We are working with Public Health England and our GPs to identify patients at the earliest stage of cancer. This includes putting in place new pathways to shorten the time from referral to diagnosis and to increase the uptake of routine screening for cancers such as breast and bowel.

"Our recent changes to the pathways have improved referral to treatment times significantly with the latest data showing that almost 80% of people are starting their treatment within two months following referral for a suspected cancer."