Fury as wait time target is missed again
laBOUR accused the sNP of failing cancer patients yesterday after it emerged that waiting time targets have been missed yet again.
it’s now four-and-a-half years since the Nhs met the scottish Government’s goal of seeing 95 per cent of all suspected cancer patients – and treating them if necessary – within 62 days.
the latest figure of 88.1 per cent compares to 90.2 per cent last year.
Only two of scotland’s 14 health boards – dumfries and Galloway and lanarkshire – hit the waiting time target.
another vital target – to start treating patients within 31 days of the decision to treat – was also missed for the third quarter in a row. it had previously been met consistently.
labour health spokesman anas sarwar said: “the sNP have gone from creating a postcode lottery in our health service to ensuring that almost wherever patients are, they won’t get the treatment they are entitled to on time.”
he called on First Minister Nicola sturgeon to appoint a new health secretary to replace shona Robison, and “get back to the day job of fixing the mess the sNP has made of our Nhs”.
Janice Preston, head of cancer charity McMillan in scotland, said they were disappointed that the target had been missed again.
she added: “waiting for test results or to start treatment can cause real distress to people with cancer and their families when they are at their most vulnerable.”
Gregor McNie of Cancer Research UK said: “the repeated failure to meet waiting time targets is a clear indication the health service isn’t coping with increased demand.
“there is a huge variation in performance between health board areas. as part of the ongoing review of cancer waiting times, all opportunities should be explored to minimise this inequality.”
Robison announced £2.85million of funding on Monday to help get waiting times down. talks are under way with boards on how to spend it.
the minister said greater awareness of cancer had led to increased demand for services. But she insisted: “that’s a challenge we are ready to meet.”