Cancer treatment targets missed but more patients being seen, says Sturgeon

Nicola Sturgeon has said more cancer patients are being treated in Scottish hospitals despite rising waiting times.

Public Health Scotland figures published on Tuesday revealed the number of patients starting treatment within the 62-day standard fell to 74.7% – an all-time low against the 95% target which has not been met since 2012.

Meanwhile, the 31-day standard for the most urgent cancer care was narrowly missed, with 94.3% of patients starting treatment, compared to 95.5% in the previous quarter.

At First Minister’s Questions on Thursday, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar urged Ms Sturgeon to say when the targets will be met, as he said the 62-day standard has not been met once since she took on the top job.

The First Minister said the number of patients treated on both pathways has increased significantly.

She said: “We are treating 35% more on the 62-day pathway now than 10 years ago and just under 16% more on the 31-day pathway compared to 10 years ago.

“That is evidencing the fact that there are more patients going through and being treated on those pathways, which is important because the premise of Anas Sarwar’s question is absolutely correct – we need to see urgent treatment for cancer.”

She also said the median wait for treatment on the 31-day target is four days, and 48 days on the 62-day standard.

Mr Sarwar said: “There has not been a single day of Nicola Sturgeon as First Minister where she has met the 62-day cancer treatment standard. Not a single day.”

More than 1,000 patients did not start their treatment for cancer within the targeted time, figures show, leading to “devastating consequences”, Mr Sarwar said.

He added: “Cancer was already Scotland’s biggest killer but in the past year there have been 198 more cancer deaths above the five-year average.

“That’s 198 more families who have lost a loved one. This NHS crisis is costing lives.

“We’re told to expect a catch-up plan, but instead things continue to get worse. Patients worried about their diagnosis, families anxious for their treatment to start, people who have lost a loved one they are watching – so I ask again, when will our cancer treatment standards be met?”

In response, Ms Sturgeon reiterated that 4,161 people began treatment in the 62-day standard in the most recent quarter, compared to 3,110, while almost 6,500 were seen on the 31-day target, compared to 5,500 a decade ago.

She said: “Our cancer services are seeing more patients and they are seeing more patients on those urgent pathways.

“That is important, and that is important for individuals. However, there is more work to do here.

“We’re investing, for example, £40 million over the next few years to support cancer services and specifically to improve waiting times particularly focused on urology, colorectal and breast cancer, because these are the pathways under the greatest challenge.”