Cancer waiting time performance slips to worst on record

Key cancer waiting time targets have slipped to the worst performance on record, according to the latest figures.

In Tayside and Fife 27 people with an urgent cancer referral did not start treatment within two months in the first quarter of the year.

Opposition parties described the national statistics as a “national scandal”, while cancer charities called for urgent action.

The Scottish Government has already announced extra funding to cut waiting times for diagnostic tests.

New figures show only 85% of patients urgently referred with a suspicion of cancer started treatment within the 62-day standard between January and March – falling short of the 95% target.

In Tayside that was 86%, compared with 87% in Fife. Nine patients in Tayside and Fife had to wait 84 or more days.

The figure was down from 87.1% in the previous quarter and from 88.1% in the same period the previous year.

Meanwhile 93.5% of patients waited no more than 31 days from decision to treat to first cancer treatment, missing the 95% target.

Performance slipped from 94.6% in the previous three months, and was down from 94.8% in the same quarter in 2017.

Only NHS Borders, Lanarkshire and Shetland met the 62-day standard, while 10 out of 15 boards met the 31-day standard.

Breast cancer was the only cancer type to successfully meet the 62-day standard, with 95.1%.

Eight of the 10 reported cancer types met the 31-day standard, with the standard missed in breast and urological cancers.

Gordon McLean of Macmillan Cancer Support said: “There’s an urgent need for health boards across Scotland to learn from the areas where targets are being met.”

Cancer Research UK said more action was needed in diagnostic services.

The Scottish Government this week announced an extra £6 million to help cut waiting times for endoscopies.