More than 5,500 cancer patients waited too long for treatment

Thousands of cancer patients in Scotland have waited longer than two months to start treatment in the last five years, shock figures reveal.

Tayside and Fife health boards both missed the legal standard for cancer waiting times, according to figures published by the Scottish Government yesterday.

In Tayside and Scotland, 87.1% of patients were seen within the 62-day target in the last three months of 2017, compared with 92.8% in Fife.

The minimum standard is for 95% to start treatment within that timeframe, which only four health boards achieved.

Analysis by Macmillan Cancer Support found that 5,509 patients in Scotland waited more than two months to start treatment since 2013.

Gordon McLean, from the charity, said: “It’s now five years since cancer waiting times were met.

“That’s five years of people who are waiting to start cancer treatment facing unnecessary stress and anxiety.”

Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “The Scottish Government is committed to beating cancer, investing more than £100 million in our cancer strategy which is focused on improving the prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment and aftercare of those affected by the disease, including £5m to improve cancer waiting times across Scotland.”