Endoscopy ready instances in Ayrshire and Arran have risen by greater than 500 per cent, new figures present.
In November 2019, 190 sufferers waited longer than six weeks for an upper-endoscopy check in NHS Ayrshire and Arran.
Nevertheless, In December 2021, this rose to 1,146, representing a large enhance of greater than 500 per cent.
The figures come from Public Well being Scotland.
Additionally they present that 29.4 per cent of sufferers waited greater than 54 weeks for higher endoscopy assessments.
South Scotland Conservative Listing MSP, Sharon Dowey, has urged the Scottish Authorities to take swift motion.
She stated: “For months I’ve been calling on Humza Yousaf to cut back ready instances for very important companies in NHS Ayrshire and Arran.
“I can see from the stats that nearly half of all sufferers waited longer than six weeks for the endoscopy check in March 2019, lengthy earlier than the pandemic hit.
“Everyone knows how necessary early detection is. Early detection can stop problems down the road and will increase the possibility of survival of many ailments, together with most cancers.
“It isn’t acceptable to let sufferers wait over 54 weeks for an endoscopy, a check which might reveal severe well being points equivalent to most cancers.”
A Scottish Authorities spokesperson stated: “Sufferers proceed to be seen primarily based on their scientific urgency, for instance, these referred with an pressing suspicion of most cancers proceed to be prioritised for key diagnostic assessments.
“To particularly assist scope primarily based diagnostics we've got printed an Endoscopy and Urology Diagnostic Restoration and Renewal plan backed by £70 million.”
Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley SNP MSP Willie Coffey stated: “The SNP Scottish Authorities is investing greater than £1bn in our NHS Restoration Plan to extend NHS capability and assist our well being service get well from the pandemic and get again on its toes.
“There was £70m of Scottish Authorities funding devoted to the Endoscopy and Urology Diagnostic Restoration and Renewal Plan. This may embody utilizing revolutionary new applied sciences as a substitute for conventional endoscopy; offering 20,000 extra procedures to assist prognosis of most cancers and different digestive system circumstances by March 2023, and by 25,000 every year thereafter till 2025.
"This may make an enormous distinction to individuals who have been ready for a prognosis and remedy.”
Elena Whitham, SNP MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, additionally chipped into the talk.
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She stated: "Ms Dowey has clearly missed the brand new plan for endoscopy and urology printed in November by the Scottish Authorities developed with help from Bowel Most cancers UK.
"Folks will likely be rightly anxious about ready instances however this pandemic has put large strains on the well being service.
“The Endoscopy and Urology Diagnostic Restoration and Renewal Plan, backed by £70 million funding, will concentrate on recovering companies and supporting quicker prognosis of cancers and I’ll be assembly with NHS Ayrshire and Arran’s chief government later this month to listen to about how the heath board is remobilising as we emerge from the pandemic."
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