Nicola Sturgeon's independence plans under fire as record level of cancer patients wait too long for treatment

In the first three months of the year, only 76.9 per cent received their first treatment within 62 days of a referral for an urgent suspicion of cancer, down from 79.1% the previous quarter.

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It was the worst figure since comparable records began, with only NHS Borders among Scotland’s 14 regional health boards hitting the 62-day standard.

The standard - which has not been met since 2012 - states 95% of eligible patients should wait a maximum of 62 days from urgent suspicion of cancer referral to first cancer treatment.

Opposition parties contrasted the problems in the health service with Ms Sturgeon’s announcement on independence.

Labour said the “catastrophic figures must be a wake-up call for the SNP Government”, while the Liberal Democrats said Ms Sturgeon’s choice of priorities was “appalling”. 

The Scottish Government said meeting the 62-day target “remains challenging” and more must be done to improve waiting times.

Other Public Health Scotland figures showed a far better performance against the 31-day standard from decision to treat to first cancer treatment, with 96.3% of patients seen on time.

On the 62-day standard, there were 3,861 eligible referrals in Q1 2022, a decrease of 6.8% from the previous quarter, but 7.6% up on the quarter ending 31 March 2021.

The treatment times varied between cancer types.

Only 52.8% of eligible referrals for cervical cancer started treatment within 62 days in the last quarter, compared to 83.3% in the last three months of 2021.

For ovarian cancer it was 75.9% in the last quarter (down from 89.5%) and for lymphoma it was 76.9% (down from 83.3%). 

Janice Preston, of Macmillan Cancer Support in Scotland, said: “Any delay in receiving a cancer diagnosis and starting treatment causes a huge amount of worry and distress.

“We know that many people have complex emotions associated with what might have happened had they been diagnosed or treated sooner.

“Early diagnosis and timely treatment provides the best possible outcomes for people with cancer.

“These latest figures show a struggling system which cannot meet demand – despite the hard work of staff – and this must be addressed urgently.

“Improving access to psychological care and emotional support must also be a priority for cancer services, to deal with the effects of the pandemic on patients and their families, as well as helping individuals cope with the consequences of cancer and its treatment.”

Tory health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: “These startling figures should be a source of shame for Humza Yousaf and the SNP.

“It’s completely unacceptable that almost a quarter of patients are waiting more than two months to begin treatment following an urgent referral.

“When a patient comes to see me with signs of cancer, I act quickly because time is vital to their survival – yet these figures highlight a truly terrifying reality when it comes to cancer diagnosis in Scotland.”

Scottish Labour Health spokesperson Jackie Baillie said: “These catastrophic figures must be a wake-up call for the SNP government, who have so far been posted missing as cancer services fall into chaos.

“Nicola Sturgeon promised to focus on recovery, but as cancer waiting times hit their worst point on record she is distracted by her constitutional obsession.

“The SNP have ignored warning after warning about the mounting pressure on cancer services, and there is no doubt that this shameful negligence will cost lives.

“We urgently need a real cancer catch-up plan to get everyone the treatment they need, when they need it.

“There is no time to waste when the stakes are this high – the SNP must get back to the day job and fix this crisis.”

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Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said the figures painted a “bleak picture” of the state of Scotland’s cancer care services. 

He said: “The fact that under this SNP/Green government, only one Scottish health board met the 62-day standard for referral in this last quarter is simply not good enough.

“All of this means patients are being failed, whilst their loved ones watch on anxiously, powerless to do anything.

"I am appalled that on the day Scotland announces its worst ever figures for cancer waits, Nicola Sturgeon is focused on another attempt to break up the UK. Where is that same urgency for patients in need?

“This has been going on for far too long. The Scottish Government needs to urgently get a grip of cancer care and treatment. That means setting out a timeline for hitting these targets and putting in place the staff and resources to make that happen. Making patients wait for this action is unacceptable.” 

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Limiting the impact of Covid-19 on cancer patients has remained a top priority throughout the pandemic. NHS Scotland remains focused on delivering high-quality care in the safest possible way to those who need it most.

“The 31-day standard has been consistently met throughout the Covid-19 pandemic with a median wait of four days.

“However, the 62-day standard remains challenging for this quarter with a median wait of 47 days and we must do more.

“We are investing in ways to support cancer waiting times improvements, including up-skilling nurses, investing in diagnostic tests focussing on the most challenging pathways to reduce backlogs.

“We have also established three pilot Early Cancer Diagnostic Centres (ECDC) to provide primary care with a new referral route for patients with non-specific symptoms of cancer and are supporting boards to implement the Framework for Effective Cancer Management to ensure patients receive timely care and treatment.”