LEADING cancer charities have described Scotland’s waiting times for patients as “unacceptable” after new figures revealed key targets have been missed again.
Hundreds of patients are waiting longer than they should for treatment, according to statistics covering the final three months of 2016. Under current guidelines health boards should ensure at least 95 per cent of patients urgently referred with a suspicion of cancer will wait a maximum of 62 days from referral to first cancer treatment.
Only 87.5 per cent of patients – 2846 out of 3254 – started treatment within the 62-day standard in the final quarter of last year, compared to 87.1 per cent in the previous quarter.
Just five health boards – Borders, Dumfries and Galloway, Lanarkshire, Orkney and Shetland – met the target. The 31-day standard of ensuring 95 per cent of patients will wait no more than 31 days from decision to treat to first cancer treatment was also missed.
Gregor McNie, of Cancer Research UK, said: “These latest figures show once again a worrying picture for cancer services, with many patients still waiting an unacceptably long time to start cancer treatment. Speedy diagnosis and access to treatment is key to improving someone’s chances of survival so it’s absolutely critical we see improvements soon.
“Over a year on from when the Scottish Government announced its new cancer strategy, it’s clear many health boards need to make better progress, and show progress from new investments.”
Janice Preston, of Macmillan Cancer Support, added: “It is unacceptable that the cancer waiting times targets have been missed for four years in a row.”
Health Secretary Shona Robison wants to do more to ensure targets are met and said: “Backed by our five-year £100m strategy last December I announced a number of changes to benefit patients and increase access for all cancer patients, particularly focused on urology and colorectal cancer.
“We are also reforming outpatient services, streamlining access to cancer specialists and decreasing the time it takes to get a diagnosis.”
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