Health boards letting down cancer patients

1.04.05pm GMT Wed 19th Nov 2008

Liberal Democrat Health spokesperson Ross Finnie MSP has urged the Health Secretary to put pressure on health boards that are failing to meet cancer waiting time targets.

The target set in 2000 is for 95 per cent of patients to receive treatment for cancer within 62 days of urgent referral. Figures published today show that this target has been missed and patients are waiting longer to be treated for cancer than this time in the last quarter. NHS Grampian and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde had the worst results.

Commenting, Mr Finnie said:

"Cancer patients in some parts of Scotland are being let down by Health Boards failing to meet waiting time targets.

"There is no excuse for Grampian and Greater Glasgow to be lagging behind other health boards. The Health Secretary should put pressure on these boards to make radical improvements to their performances.”