11,000 wait on cancer treatment

Nearly 11,000 people in Ayrshire and Arran are waiting on cancer diagnostic tests, new figures show.

According to Public Health Scotland, 10,934 patients were waiting to be seen as of December 2021.

That figure represents a 42 per cent increase in numbers over the last two years.

Patietns are waiting on the list of treaments for upper endoscopy, lower endoscopy, CT scans, MRI scans, barium studies and nonobstetric ultrasounds.

South Scotland Conservative list MSP Sharon Dowey said: “The backlog of key diagnostic tests that has grown during the pandemic in NHS Ayrshire & Arran has now completely spiralled out of control and that is deeply concerning, as this is creating a dangerous bottleneck in the NHS.

“Patients are not being treated anywhere near quickly enough in NHS Ayrshire & Arran and cancers are at real risk of going undetected.”

South Scotland Labour list MSP Carol Mochan said the figure were concerning and added: “The number of people waiting for treatment at this point is a national emergency. It won’t get any better until the government address staffing levels and do a great deal more to keep talented doctors, nurses and support staff within the NHS.”

Brian Whittle MSP, who is a Conservative politician for the South Scotland region, is also challenging the Scottish Government to get its act together, as it emerged that well over half a million people across Scotland are currently on an NHS waiting list.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Patients continue to be seen based on their clinical urgency, for example, those referred with an urgent suspicion of cancer continue to be prioritised for key diagnostic tests.

“To specifically support scope based diagnostics we have published an Endoscopy and Urology Diagnostic Recovery and Renewal plan backed by £70 million. The plan focuses on key areas such as: Balancing Demand and Capacity; Workforce Training and Development, Infrastructure and Innovation and Redesign. We have also invested £9 million this year to support diagnostic imaging capacity with six mobile MRI scanners and four CT scanners across NHS Scotland. Priorities in 2022/23 include an increase in mobile scanners to provide additional capacity, designing and implementing national workforce planning with a focus on recruitment and retention and further allocations of Advancing Practice training places.”