New record low for cancer treatment waiting time performance

Scotland’s cancer treatment waiting time performance has fallen to a new record low, latest figures show.

The country’s 62-day standard states that 95% of patients should wait a maximum of 62 days from urgent suspicion of cancer referral to first cancer treatment.

However, statistics from Public Health Scotland show that for the second quarter of 2022 – April 1 to June 30 – just 76.3% of patients started treatment within that timeframe.

This is down from the 76.9% reported in the previous quarter.

The standard has not been met since the end of 2012.

Performance against another target – the 31-day standard from the decision to treat to first cancer treatment – saw 95.5% being seen within this timeframe.

While this was above the target of 95% of patients waiting 31 days from decision to treat to first cancer treatment, the figure was still down from 96.3% in the previous quarter.

The Scottish Conservatives said the Health Secretary should be “ashamed” of Tuesday’s figures.

The party’s health spokesman, Dr Sandesh Gulhane, said: “Humza Yousaf should be ashamed of these worst-on-record figures, which highlight the ticking timebomb when it comes to cancer diagnosis in Scotland.

“We know that early diagnosis is crucial to patients’ survival chances, so it’s frightening and unacceptable that almost a quarter are not beginning treatment within 62 days of their first referral.

“The Health Secretary can’t hide behind the pandemic as an excuse for this failure because the target has not been met by the SNP in almost a decade.”

Health spokeswoman for Scottish Labour, Jackie Baillie, said: “This is nothing short of catastrophic, but the SNP government are nowhere to be seen.

“Humza Yousaf’s dangerous incompetence has broken yet another grim record, despite the tireless efforts of dedicated NHS staff.

“The SNP have ignored warning after warning as services fell into chaos, leaving us with a ticking timebomb of untreated cancer that will cost lives and overwhelm our NHS.”

The Scottish Liberal Democrats said Mr Yousaf must “stop sticking his head in the sand”.

Health spokesman and party leader, Alex Cole-Hamilton, said: “After a decade of missing this target, the continued decline in cancer waiting times is intolerable. The Health Secretary has to stop sticking his head in the sand and get on with resolving this crisis.

“Both cancer patients and staff are being failed by this SNP/Green Government. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to the chances of survival.

“The Scottish Government needs to urgently get a grip of cancer care and treatment and replace its failed Recovery Strategy. It is frightening to think what has to happen for them to realise this.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “The 31-day standard has been consistently met throughout the Covid-19 pandemic with a median wait of five days.

“Despite treating more patients on a 62-day pathway compared to pre-Covid this quarter, and with a median wait of 47 days, performance remains challenged overall and we must do more.

“Cancer remains a priority for NHS Scotland, but Covid has not gone away – pressures remain in diagnostic and treatment pathways. In August we released an additional £10 million of funding to boards to support recovery and redesign of cancer services focusing on the most challenged pathways and to reduce backlogs.”