.the longest one patient waited for treatment following a gp referral in 2017 was 541 days - against a target of 62 days. . .elizabeth loder, md, professor of neurology, harvard medical school; chief, division of headache, brigham & women's hospital. . . © telegraph media group limited 2018 .he added: �these findings show that despite the tireless work of doctors and nurses, it appears that some cancer patients are still enduring shockingly long waits to start treatment.