Waiting times nightmare for cancer patients
Success rate worse than 10 years ago
CANCER charities have demanded a solution from the Scottish Government after figures showed ‘inexcusable’ waiting times for treatment are now worse than ten years ago.
Only 86.9 per cent of patients began treatment within two months of being referred in April to June 2017, compared to 87.3 per cent in the same period in 2007.
Critics said this showed that the SNP had failed on cancer waiting times during its ten years in power.
The Government target is for 95 per cent of cancer patients to begin treatment within 62 days of an urgent referral, but this has not been met since December 2012.
Health Secretary Shona Robison said a group would be set up to improve the situation – and she conceded that ‘some waits are too long’.
Janice Preston of Macmillan Cancer Support Scotland said: ‘Waiting to start treatment is an incredibly stressful time for most people. It’s vital the reasons behind these delays are understood and a solution found. We need a long-term solution, not a temporary fix.’
Almost one in five patients with head and neck cancer had to wait longer than two months for treatment, with only 80.8 per cent beginning their care within 62 days. Meanwhile, only 71.6 per cent of those with urological cancers started treatment within the target time.
In the period April to June, 3,493 patients were urgently referred because cancer was suspected, up 11.6 per cent on the same period in 2016.
Scottish Conservative health spokesman Miles Briggs said: ‘It’s inexcusable for so many people who have been urgently referred on suspicion of cancer to wait more than two months. Not only will these patients and their families be beside themselves with worry in this period, but with every day that goes past their chances of a good prognosis deteriorate.
‘There’s no point in constantly publicising the importance of checking out cancer fears at an early stage if the NHS isn’t sufficiently resourced to hold up its end of the deal.
‘This is completely on the SNP’s head. It has had full charge of the NHS for a decade.’
The Health Secretary stressed she was ‘determined to go further’ to help cancer patients.
She said the Government would spend £1million on new technology which will allow consultants to report on diagnostic scans taken anywhere in the country in a bid to help ‘address short-falls in capacity in some areas’.
Miss Robison added: ‘The average wait for cancer treatment is six days currently. However, some waits are too long and the new delivery group will report back to me in early 2018 with recommendations to enhance cancer diagnosis and treatment.’
‘Stressful time for most people’