Health board apologises to cancer patients after treatment is delayed

Published on 05/12/2012 10:20

A SCOTS health board has apologised to 17 patients whose cancer treatment was delayed by staffing problems at the Highland flagship hospital.

• Scottish government targets say treatment should begin with 31 days of diagnosis

• Failure to treat 17 patients with the recommended time-scale occurred between July and September

• Target was met for 325 patients during that time

• Difficulties were due to a shortage of radiography planners

NHS Highland chiefs say they are working hard to improve efforts at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness to meet Scottish Government targets of treatment to begin within 31 days of a diagnosis.

The failure to treat 17 patients within the recommended time-scale occurred during the three-month period between July and September.

The target was met for 325 patients during the same time.

The difficulties arose due to a shortage of radiography planners, the specialists responsible for drawing up treatment plans.

NHS Highland chairman Garry Coutts said they were now going to advertise internationally to fill posts.

He added: “I would like to assure the public that we are working extremely hard to improve our performance.”