Scotland's cancer treatment times improving

Published on Tuesday 18 August 2009 13:35

MORE cancer patients than ever before are being treated within two months of being diagnosed, figures revealed today.

Statistics showed 96% of all urgently referred patients who were diagnosed with cancer between January and March this year began their treatment within 62 days.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: "This is NHS Scotland's best ever performance against the 62-day cancer waiting times target."

Figures released earlier showed that a key target of having 95% of urgently referred patients begin treatment within 62 days had been met for the first time – with 95.4% of such patients from October to December last year commencing treatment within the time.

Today's figures show that has increased to 96%, with the target being met for 2,259 of the 2,354 urgently referred cancer patients over the three-month period.

However not all health boards have reached the target and it has also not been met for all types of cancers.

In the NHS Grampian area 94% of urgently referred cancer patients began treatment within 62 days, while in the NHS Border area 98.1% started treatment within the target time.

While 98.9% of breast cancer patients who were urgently referred commenced treatment within 62 days, only 89.3% of those who were urgently referred with head and neck cancer were treated in this time.

And the 95% target was not met for other forms of the disease, including lymphoma and melanoma cases.

However Ms Sturgeon said she was "delighted" that the target had been met for two quarters in a row.

She added: "The challenge now is to continue this achievement and to strive for further improvements within specific NHS boards and cancer types."

She added that health boards were expected to be working towards tougher new targets contained in the Scottish Government's cancer strategy, Better Cancer Care, with these due to be delivered by December 2011.

Ms Sturgeon said: "I know that cancer impacts on the lives of many people in Scotland, and that is why ensuring cancer patients are treated as quickly as possible is a key priority for the Scottish Government."

The target of having 95% of urgently referred cancer patients begin treatment within 62 days was originally set in 2001.

Figures for January to March 2007 – just before the SNP came into Government – showed 84.5% of urgent cancer referrals beginning treatment within this time.

However Labour health spokeswoman Cathy Jamieson said: "I am disappointed that the latest statistics show that the Scottish Government is still missing its target on cancer waiting times in some parts of Scotland.

"Nicola Sturgeon needs to focus on ensuring that improvements are made in those health board areas that are currently failing."