Backlog in cancer care is ‘national emergency’
THE cancer treatment backlog caused by the pandemic is now a ‘national emergency’, the Scottish Labour leader has warned.
Anas Sarwar highlighted his serious concerns after it emerged that 485 people had waited more than two months to start receiving treatment despite being urgently referred by medics.
Yesterday, Public Health Scotland (PHS) published figures covering the final quarter of 2020, when Covid-19 cases began to rise again across the country.
Mr Sarwar said PHS figures published earlier this month show that up to one in five cases of cancer could have been missed as a result of screening services being halted due to coronavirus.
On Tuesday, during the first leaders’ debate of this election campaign, he raised the case of Mary Hudson, 69, whose ovarian cancer returned this year.
He said Miss Hudson had an operation to treat the disease 18 months ago, but was told that Glasgow Royal Infirmary was now allowing operations for only first occurrences of cancer – forcing her to travel to London for another procedure.
Mr Sarwar added: ‘It is a scandal patients like Mary are having to travel hundreds of miles for surgery. My thoughts are with her and her family.
‘We have no idea how many other families are going through similar trauma.
‘The pandemic has had a devastating impact on cancer services but the problems were there before Covid struck.
‘The SNP has not met the waiting time standard for urgent referrals for nearly a decade. The next parliament must be fully focused on a national recovery plan for our NHS, so that we never again have to choose between treating a virus or treating cancer.’
Miss Hudson’s daughter, Julie Goedkoop, said that the family were ‘absolutely determined’ to ensure her mother has the surgery she needs.
She added: ‘But it’s unbelievable that she has to travel all the way to London for it. We are raising her case so that we can help others in the same situation.’
Mr Sarwar has previously said the NHS should not have to choose between fighting
Covid or treating cancer, while calling for plans to be put in place to ramp up screening and treatment services.
He said: ‘The backlog for cancer treatment in Scotland is now a national emergency. There are thousands of missing patients and there needs to be an urgent plan to address this crisis, including rapid diagnostic centres and a catch-up plan for screenings.’
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: ‘A diagnosis of cancer is a deeply painful and worrying time for individuals and their families.
‘That’s why we prioritised cancer care as part of the recovery from the pandemic, so that cancer patients have and will continue to receive treatment.
‘Unlike Labour, rather than just talking about how we restore our NHS, the SNP is already taking action.
‘Our established cancer recovery plan, backed by £114.5million, will ensure cancer patients continue to have equitable access to care in Scotland, regardless of where they live.’