Ayrshire Post

Ayrshire falls short in cancer referral times

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An MSP has warned that a cancer timebomb is ticking after new figures show waiting time targets for cancer referral to first treatment in Ayrshire are way below where they should be.

New figures for the quarter ending December 2023 have shown that no health boards in the south of Scotland met the Scottish Government’s 62-day standard.

That standard requires 95 per cent of eligible patients waiting a maximum of 62 days from urgent suspicion of cancer referral to first cancer treatment.

But the figure for NHS Borders was 86.5 per cent, while in NHS Dumfries and Galloway the figure was 79.2 per cent.

For Ayrshire and Arran, that figure is 78.9 per cent.

The statistics, from Public Health Scotland, show that the maximum wait in the south region was 341 days recorded in NHS Lothian. In NHS Dumfries and Galloway a wait of 267 days was also recorded.

Referrals for urological cancers were particular­ly bad, with all south of Scotland health boards falling well below the 62-day standard.

South Scotland Labour List MSP, Colin Smyth, said:“We are in the grip of a cancer care crisis with key targets being missed again and again.

“Far too many people are waiting far too long to get the cancer care that they desperatel­y need while SNP government targets are broken across the area.

“We know the pandemic led to an increase of undiagnose­d cancer cases but the government’s promises on recovery in cancer services are meaningles­s as far too many patients are not seen within the government’s own legally binding performanc­e standard.

“Cancer is Scotland’s biggest killer, and we know that early detection and treatment leads to better outcomes - but the fact is that the SNP government’s failure to support NHS staff is creating a cancer care timebomb.”

But Health Secretary Neil Gray said:“Our NHS remains under pressure, which is reflected in the fact that we’re treating more patients on 62- and 31-day pathways than before the Covid-19 pandemic - over 700 more and over 400 more respective­ly in this latest quarter. We’re also treating more patients with cancer on time, within both standards, compared to pre-pandemic and 10 years ago.

“The 31-day standard was narrowly missed this quarter, and the median wait for treatment was just five days.

“Neverthele­ss, we remain absolutely committed to reducing waiting times and a further £10m of funding has been given in 2023/24 to support this improvemen­t.

“Cancer remains a national priority for the NHS and Scottish Government which is why we published a new 10-year strategy in June 2023, focused on improving cancer survival and providing equitable access to treatment.”

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MSP Colin Smyth
Concern MSP Colin Smyth

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