Waiting timessoar by500 percent

Endoscopy waiting times in Ayrshire have risen by more than 500 per cent, new figures show.

In November 2019, 190 patients waited longer than six weeks for an upper-endoscopy test in NHS Ayrshire and Arran.

However, In December 2021, this rose to 1146, according to Public Health Scotland.

They also show that 29.4 per cent of patients waited more than 54 weeks for upper endoscopy tests.

South Scotland Conservative List MSP Sharon Dowey said: “Early detection can prevent complications down the line and increases the chance of survival of many diseases, including cancer.

“It isn’t acceptable to let patients wait over 54 weeks for an endoscopy, a test which could reveal serious health issues such as cancer.”

Elena Whitham, SNP MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, added: “Ms Dowey has obviously missed the new plan for endoscopy and urology published in November by the Scottish Government developed with assistance from Bowel Cancer UK.

“People will be rightly anxious about waiting times but this pandemic has put huge strains on the health service.

“The Endoscopy and Urology Diagnostic Recovery and Renewal Plan, backed by £70 million investment, will focus on recovering services and supporting faster diagnosis of cancers and I’ll be meeting with NHS Ayrshire and Arran’s chief executive later this month to hear about how the heath board is remobilising as we emerge from the pandemic.”