A SOUTH Scotland MSP has warned that a “cancer crisis” could grip the region if “urgent action” is not taken to tackle the backlog of care.
The recently re-elected Colin Smyth said that the effects of the pandemic have left thousands in a “race against time” to get treatment.
And Smyth forecasted the crisis could be exacerbated further, citing new statistics published by Public Health Scotland which reveal a 13 per cent rise in cancer incidence in Dumfries and Galloway between 2009 and 2019.
He said: “It is the duty of the Scottish Government to pull out all the stops to ensure that people get the treatment that they need.
“Anything short of immediate and proportionate action to tackle the cancer care crisis is playing fast and loose with the lives of Scots.
“We need to see diagnostics and screening efforts ramped up immediately.
“Tackling the Covid pandemic hit other NHS services hard, including cancer care.
“During the election campaign Labour highlighted the need for action to fix the cancer crisis and just because polling day is behind us, it won’t stop us demanding that the Scottish Government pull out all the stops to ensure that people get the treatment they need.
“As we move out of the pandemic we need to see diagnostics and screening efforts ramped up, anything short of putting cancer care at the heart of a recovery plan for Scotland would be playing fast and loose with people’s lives.”
