A POLITICIAN has warned of a ‘ticking timebomb’ of cancer cases across the South of Scotland.
It comes after statistics revealed over a quarter of cancer patients across the country are not being seen within the SNP’s 62-day target time to begin treatment following referral.
Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP Craig Hoy’s call follows the new statistics.
Mr Hoy says the waiting times in health boards right across South Scotland are putting lives at risk, given starting treatment as early as possible is crucial to a patient’s chance of survival.
In NHS Dumfries and Galloway, only 80.6 per cent of patients are being treated on time, well short of the 95 per cent target.
The MSP has accused the SNP government of failing to invest in frontline care, meaning dedicated staff simply cannot see patients quickly enough.
Mr Hoy added that successive SNP health secretaries have failed to meet their national target for well over a decade now and still have no plan to fix the cancer care crisis.
He said: “We are continuing to face a ticking timebomb when it comes to dealing with cancer cases across South Scotland including in NHS Dumfries and Galloway.
“These appalling waiting times are putting lives at risk. Everyone knows someone who has cancer or who has had it in the past, and they know how crucial starting treatment as early as possible is for the chances of survival.
“Despite the best efforts of hardworking NHS staff, they simply do not have the resources to ensure all patients are seen on time.
“They are dealing with the consequences of successive SNP health secretaries failing to invest in frontline care or having any plan to fix the cancer care crisis.
“The figures paint a grim picture. None of these areas are meeting the SNP’s own targets, and cancer patients are paying the price for a decade of SNP failure. It is simply unacceptable.”
