THE proportion of suspected cancer patients in Scotland waiting longer than the two-month target for treatment has hit a record high, official figures show.
From April to June this year, more than 15% of patients referred with suspected cancer waited longer than the 62-day maximum for treatment.
More than three quarters of health boards missed the 95% target, with Shetland as the lowest at 66.7%.
Only three health boards passed the target – Dumfries and Galloway at 95.3%, Lanarkshire at 96.7% and the Western Isles at 100%.
In the same period there was progress, though, on a target requiring 95% of all first cancer treatments to take place within 31 days of the decision to treat.
The rate was up from 93.5% the previous quarter and the target was met by 11 of Scotland’s 15 health boards.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “It’s welcome that 95% of patients were treated within the 31 day standard, and that once a decision to treat has been made patients wait on average six days for treatment.
“However, despite an increase of 35.4% of patients being seen within the 62 day referral standard than 10 years ago, performance against this target is simply not good enough.
“To help improve this £6.7 million has been released to health boards to support access to diagnostics for suspected cancer patients, with an experienced NHS Cancer Manager supporting Boards improve their cancer care.”
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