Cancer waiting times 'best yet'

Ministers want all cancer patients treated within 31 days by 2011

The NHS is getting closer to meeting a target of treating all urgent cancer cases within two months, according to new figures.

The target, set in 2000, requires that 95% of patients begin treatment within 62 days of being urgently referred.

In the three months to September last year 94.6% of patients were treated within the 62 days limit.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said it was the health service's best performance yet.

However, the 95% target was supposed to have been met three years ago in 2005.

Nine out of the 14 NHS boards across Scotland met the target between July and September 2008.

NHS Lothian recorded the best results with 98.1% of patients beginning treatment within the two months target period.

The target needs to be met consistently, in full, in every board across Scotland Nicola Sturgeon Health Secretary

Of the five boards which failed to meet the target, NHS Dumfries and Galloway fared worst, with just 84.1% of patients being treated within 62 days.

Ms Sturgeon said: "It is very welcome to see that the majority of patients diagnosed with cancer, who were urgently referred, are rightly starting their treatment within two months.

"We know how important it is for cancer patients, and for their families, to be treated quickly.

"Boards are tackling the challenge head on and their efforts, supported by Scottish Government's cancer performance support team, have resulted in, substantial progress since 2007.

"In many areas, boards are performing over and above the 95% target and I am hopeful that the advances made to meet the target for breast, lung, ovarian and urology cancers will be extended to all cancers before long.

Tougher target

She added: "The target needs to be met consistently, in full, in every board across Scotland.

"Ensuring that the majority of cancer patients are treated within 62 days of referral is crucial to speeding up the time taken in delivering care and treatment to patients, an essential ambition of Scotland's action plan, Better Cancer Care."

The Scottish Government has announced a new tougher cancer waiting times target.

By 2011 all patients diagnosed with cancer, however they come to be referred, should receive treatment within 31 days from the decision to treat.