Most cancers remedy ready occasions throughout Ayrshire ‘reveal a system that's struggling’, says an MSP.
Figures from the Public Well being Scotland’s quarterly launch flagged that between January 1 and March 31, 77.3 % of Ayrshire sufferers started receiving remedy throughout the required 62-day customary — nearly 18 % under the 95 % government-set goal.
The 62-day customary, which was solely met by NHS Borders, states that 95 % of eligible sufferers ought to wait a most of 62 days from pressing suspicion of most cancers referral to first most cancers remedy.
The well being board did, nevertheless, meet the 31-day customary, making certain 97.4 % of sufferers had been handled inside 31 days from resolution to deal with to first most cancers remedy, exceeding the 95 % goal.
Tory MSP Sharon Dowey has expressed her issues over the current figures and known as on Well being Secretary Humza Yousaf to promptly handle the problem.
Mrs Dowey stated: “The SNP Authorities continues to fail the residents of Ayrshire and the SNP Well being Secretary nonetheless hasn’t provide you with a stable plan.
“That is obligatory to cut back most cancers ready occasions and stop lives from being misplaced.
“Regardless of the tireless efforts of our NHS, these most up-to-date statistics reveal a system that's struggling and unable to maintain up with demand.
“Humza Yousaf has to handle this concern instantly. He should clarify his technique for clearing the NHS Ayrshire & Arran’s mounting backlog and guaranteeing that sufferers are seen throughout the goal ready occasions.”
A Scottish Authorities spokesperson stated the federal government had been methods to enhance the most cancers remedy ready occasions, including that the 31-day customary “has been persistently met all through the Covid-19 pandemic with a median wait of 4 days.”
They added: “Nevertheless, the 62-day customary stays difficult for this quarter with a median wait of 47 days and we should do extra.
“We're investing in methods to assist most cancers ready occasions enhancements, together with up-skilling nurses, investing in diagnostic exams focussing on essentially the most difficult pathways to cut back backlogs.
“We have now additionally established three pilot Early Most cancers Diagnostic Centres (ECDC) to supply main care with a brand new referral route for sufferers with non-specific signs of most cancers and are supporting boards to implement the Framework for Efficient Most cancers Administration to make sure sufferers obtain well timed care and remedy.”
Joanne Edwards, director of acute providers, agreed that the well being board’s achievement of the nationwide goal “has been difficult”.
She stated: “Whereas this isn't linked to a single particular concern, each affected person’s journey is tracked by way of the most cancers pathway and capability within the diagnostic providers has been adversely affected by the restrictions caused by the pandemic and the sustained enhance in referrals.
“Ought to a affected person obtain a most cancers analysis, we make sure that they obtain their remedy as shortly as attainable, and we persistently obtain above the Scottish customary of 95 % for the 31-day measure (confirmed analysis to remedy) and repeatedly obtain 100% compliance on this.”
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