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Progress on cancer waiting times
20/05/2008
The latest quarterly statistics on cancer waiting times show that health boards are well on track to achieve the government's target of 95 per cent of urgent referrals being treated within 62 days, Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said today.
The Chief Statistician's statistics, for October to December 2007, show that 93.6 per cent of patients were treated within the target time. This is an increase of two percentage points from the previous quarter. The target of 95 per cent is expected to be met from January 2008 onwards.
More up to date figures from health boards show the target was being met from January.
Weekly performance management figures for January to March 2008 show that, across Scotland, 96.3 per cent of patients were treated within the target time. It is important to note these more recent figures are not validated and may be subject to change.
Ms Sturgeon said:
"The figures show health boards are making good progress towards meeting the 95 per cent target - indeed the latest management figures show we can expect to meet the target.
"This Scottish Government inherited a long overdue target and I immediately made clear my determination to see health boards improve their performance.
"It's crucial that cancer patients receive the best possible treatment, as quickly as possible, to increase their survival chances.
"That is why we have been driving boards to deliver on their waiting times target and I am pleased - particularly for cancer patients and their families - that our combined efforts appear to be reaping rewards."
In May 2007, Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon insisted that health boards must refocus their efforts to achieve an overdue target that 95 per cent of patients should wait no longer than 62 days from urgent referral to treatment from the end of 2007.
The weekly performance management figures are unvalidated figures and experience suggests that we should build in a +/- margin of error of three per cent between these progress report figures and the official quarterly figures.
The quarterly cancer waiting times statistics for January to March 2008, which will confirm whether or not the target has been achieved, will be published in August 2008.