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Fall in cancer waiting times 'encouraging'
19/08/2008
Waiting times for cancer patients are continuing to come down according to the latest figures, with the NHS in Scotland recording its best ever performance in reducing cancer waiting times.
The Chief Statistician's statistics, for January to March 2008, show that the number of patients being treated within two months of an urgent referral was 94.1 per cent, up from 84.5 per cent in the same period a year ago.
Overall, the quarterly statistics reveal that 2,177 patients were treated within 62 days of urgent referral. If just 20 more had begun treatment within the timescale, the 95 per cent target the government has set NHS Boards would have been achieved.
Also published today, for the first time, were statistics on waiting times for childhood cancers and patients with acute leukaemia or breast cancer.
These show:
- All children diagnosed with cancer last year began treatment within 31 days of urgent referral
- 99 per cent of patients with acute leukaemia in 2007 began their treatment within 31 days
- 83.2 per cent of breast cancer patients began treatment within 31 days of diagnosis last year
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said:
"Early diagnosis and treatment is crucial for cancer patients to maximise their chances of survival.
"That's why it is encouraging that these figures show Scotland has recorded its best ever performance in cutting cancer waiting times. But we can, and must, do more.
"The figures, published for the first time, on waiting times for childhood cancers and acute leukaemia are particularly encouraging. However, further work is clearly needed to bring down breast cancer waits.
"This government inherited a long overdue target to bring down waiting times and I was determined to encourage health boards to go the extra mile to achieve these targets.
"Today's figures show that we are continuing to make good progress and waiting times are continuing to fall. Health boards came very close to meeting the demanding 62-day target which has proved particularly challenging for them.
"The statistics show that boards have done well - and waiting times are coming down. But I now want boards to make one last push which will enable us not only to meet the target but to sustain that level of service. In addition, we are currently updating our cancer strategy which will be published soon."
The target that the maximum wait for all patients from urgent referral to treatment was originally set out in 2001. The target was originally due to be achieved by the end of 2005. The target was reduced in May 2006 to 95 per cent of patients to allow for clinical exceptions.
In May 2007, Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon insisted that health boards must refocus their efforts to achieve the overdue target from the end of 2007.