This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Cancer waiting times
02/12/2005
The latest cancer waiting times figures for April to June 2005 show improvements for colorectal, ovarian and melanoma cancers, but marginally worse for breast and lung cancer. Information on lymphoma is published for the first time.
Health Minister Andy Kerr said the limited progress made earlier this year in driving down cancer waiting times was still not enough but that the benefits of investment to drive down waiting times should start to show in performance reports for the latter half of the year.
He acknowledged that the end-of-year cancer waiting times target - that from December 2005 the maximum wait from urgent referral to treatment for all cancers will be two months - would be tough to meet.
Mr Kerr said:
"For too long now we have not had robust information on the length of time cancer patients have been waiting for treatment. It is an incredibly complex process to collect this information. But we are steadily putting that right.
"The figures out today show that boards had made limited progress between April and June. But they also show the amount of work Boards need to undertake before the end of the year.
"We set our target for the end of 2005 to be a big challenge for the NHS. We set a stretching target, and have always recognised it will be difficult to meet.
"More and more Scots are living with and beating cancer. But that doesn't take away the concerns and anxieties felt by anyone who thinks they might have it. We must reduce waiting times.
"We have invested £150 million in cancer services since 2001. We are working with NHS Boards to deliver the target and a raft of additional actions have been agreed to help them achieve this.
"That's why in June this year we agreed delivery plans with milestones, for each Board. I will be closely monitoring their performance against the plans.
"At each of the annual reviews this summer I impressed on NHS Boards that delivering change and improving cancer waiting times are top priorities.
"There have been some improvements. But Boards now need to drive forward their efforts to deliver faster cancer care for patients."
The target is that from December 2005 the maximum wait from urgent referral to treatment for all cancers will be two months.
Performance against that target for the quarter April to June 2005 is:
- Breast cancer 85.9 per cent (86.3 per cent, Jan to Feb)
- Lung cancer 70.4 per cent (71.8 per cent)
- Ovarian cancer 86 per cent (78.9 per cent)
- Colorectal cancer 56.1 per cent (47.5 per cent)
- Melanoma 86.1 per cent (75 per cent)
- Lymphoma 57.6 per cent (new statistics)
- Average 74.3 per cent (not comparable due to new statistics)