Doctor strike threat adds to 'timebomb' for cancer patients

THE threat of a New Year doctors’ strike will “terrify” cancer patients awaiting treatment as latest figures show that not a single Scottish health board met the SNP’s own guidelines for referrals.

- BY RICHARD ELIAS

Whilst there has been a slight improvement recently in the number of people being diagnosed to receiving their first treatment, the picture for many remains bleak.

The latest statistics from Public Health Scotland (PHS) for the period between July and September showed that there were 4,804 eligible referrals in this category.

Some 70.7% of patients started treatment within 62 days, compared with 69.9% in the previous quarter.

The Scottish Government’s own guidelines say that 95% of eligible patients should wait no longer than 62 days from urgent suspicion of cancer referral to first cancer treatment.

However, not one of the 14 Scottish health board met the 95% target.

The findings were released days after the BMA Scotland announced that more than 90% of resident doctors — formerly known as junior doctors — had voted to strike in a row over pay.