Patients face long delays for vital tests

People suspected of having cancer suffering ‘huge anxiety’ as they wait

Patients who may have cancer are suffering “huge anxiety” because of record delays in being tested.

More than one in five people referred for diagnostic checks in Tayside and Fife was not seen within the legal target of six weeks, official figures show.

In Fife, just 77.2% were seen within the six-week standard, compared with 78.8% in Tayside and 79.3% nationally – a record low.

The number of Scots waiting longer than they should for diagnostic procedures such as CT scans, MRI scans and ultrasounds rose from 3,554 at the end of 2015 to 15,956 just two years later, the data published yesterday revealed.

Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “The Scottish Government has made £4.85 million of funding available to support access to diagnostics for suspected cancer patients, including £2 million for improvements to scopes alone.

“I have made it clear to boards that they must continue to treat these patients with the highest priority.”

Gregor McNie, from Cancer Research UK in Scotland, said: “Staff shortages are partly to blame and the recent initiative to recruit more radiologists will go some way to alleviate current pressures. But a more urgent plan for all diagnostic staff is also needed.”

Janice Preston, the head of Macmillan Services in Scotland, said: “Cancer waiting times haven’t been met since 2012 and these latest statistics add to a growing issue that must be addressed head on and a solution found.”

The diagnostic figures were released at the same time as statistics showing the 18-week referral to treatment target was missed and a decline in performance in the 12-week treatment time guarantee for outpatients.

Meanwhile, A&E departments are still not meeting the target for the percentage of patients admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours of arriving.

Scottish Labour’s Anas Sarwar said: “A decade of SNP mismanagement has left our NHS understaffed and under pressure.”

Helen Wright, Fife’s director of nursing, commented: “We do appreciate how difficult it is for patients to wait for information about their health and make every effort to see each as quickly as possible.”

An NHS Tayside spokeswoman said: “Our endoscopy service has experienced an increase in demand and regretfully our waiting times are longer than we would like.

“However, it is important to note that the endoscopy service prioritises patients referred with urgent suspicion of cancer and continues to meet the twoweek waiting time standard for this.”