'People could be dying as a result of later cancer diagnoses', minister admits

A Scottish minister has admitted that people might be dying as a result of later cancer diagnoses.

Public health minister Jenni Minto made the comments after Public Health Scotland data revealed that cancer waiting times in Scotland are currently the worst on record.

The figures show that nearly a third of Scots referred to the NHS with an urgent suspicion of cancer did not begin treatment within the 62-day target.

Only 68.9% of those patients referred between January and March started treatment within 62 days, compared to 73.5% the previous quarter and 70.5% in the quarter ending in March 2024.

The figure remains well below pre-pandemic levels, with 83.7% of people having been seen within the 62-day target in the quarter ending December 2019.

The 62-day standard has not been met since the last quarter of 2012.

In the first four months of this year, only one of Scotland’s 14 NHS boards reached the target, with 95.8% of patients being seen within 62 days at NHS Lanarkshire.

The target for 95% of patients to start treatment within 31 days of a decision to treat has also not been met.

Some 94.1% of eligible patients were treated within that timeframe, down from 94.1% the previous quarter and 96.5% in the last quarter of 2019.

Minto said the situation is “not where we should be” and admitted that the Scottish Government could do more, while speaking to STV News.

Minto continued: “Do I think we can do more? Yes, I do. Are we doing it? Yes, we are. Are people losing their lives as a result of later diagnosis? Yes, they may well be.

“It’s very disappointing to see the 62-day waiting times for cancer treatment.

“It’s something we are investing in to ensure we can reduce them. It’s important to recognise there are more people being diagnosed with cancer, but it’s still not a [figure] we are at all happy with.”

Minto added: “I accept that the way we treat cancer needs to be looked at very carefully.”

She said the SNP Government has been investing more money, introducing rapid cancer diagnostic centres across the country, and increasing diagnostic training.

“What we need to do is focus on ensuring that we can solve the problem and get our treatment and diagnostic times back to the level they should be and that we all want them to be in Scotland,” Minto said.