Cancer patients in Grampian face the second worst waits across Scotland for starting treatment within a two month target, according to new figures.
Public Health Scotland revealed that between October and December just over half (54.4%) of cancer patients in the region received their first treatment within the 62 day target.
This follows the point from which an urgent referral is made for suspected cancer.
It is the second highest wait in Scotland, behind Shetland, where only half (50%) of the eight patients referred were seen within the target.
One patient in Grampian waited a maximum of 259 days to begin treatment last year.
Patients forced to go private
The long waits for urgent cases have left some patients feeling they have been left with “no option” but to seek private treatment.
One Aberdeen woman, who wants to remain anonymous, said her 45-year-old husband was told he would be waiting around four weeks after being diagnosed with skin cancer.
But they were later advised in early March they had been “misinformed” and that urgent cases faced a 20-week wait.
The couple decided to get private treatment and were glad they did as it was later discovered that he had nodules in his liver and lungs.
The woman said: “We felt there was no other option.
“Having researched it myself, I knew he was in an urgent category of it spreading.
“I do feel it was only because we were private that we got pushed through.”
‘Staff vacancies’
NHS Grampian told Public Health Scotland they have “staff vacancies in multiple areas” as a factor impacting performance.
They added staff annual leave during October and December will have contributed.
The health board has come under well-documented pressures in recent months with ambulances seen queuing up outside Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
NHS Shetland reported they are affected by “staffing and capacity” in NHS Grampian, who they work in partnership with to deliver cancer care to islanders.
An NHS Grampian spokeswoman said it takes the cancer waiting time standards “very seriously”.
She added: “The latest statistics show the average wait, against the 62 day target, was 57 days, while the average wait against the 31 day target was three days. Both are ahead of the national average.
“Cancer is a complex disease and delays can be due to determining the best type of treatment for the individual.
“We want to assure everyone in Grampian of our commitment to meeting the standard and starting treatment of cancer as quickly as possible.
“We are facing particular challenges in our diagnostic services, in terms of both staffing and demand. We are working hard to improve the capacity we have available.”
‘Ticking timebomb’
Scottish Conservative candidate for Gordon and Buchan, Harriet Cross, likened the situation to a ticking timebomb.
“It should shame SNP ministers that just over half, 54% of north-east cancer patients started treatment within the target time of two months in the last few months of last year,” she said.
SNP Health Secretary Neil Gray said the NHS remains “under pressure” with more patients on the 62 and 31 day pathways than before the Covid pandemic.
He added: “We’re also treating more patients with cancer on time, within both standards, compared to pre-pandemic and 10 years ago.
“Despite this, there will always be instances where some patients wait longer depending on their health, complexity of disease and agreed treatment plan.
“The 31-day standard was narrowly missed this quarter, and the median wait for treatment was just five days.
“Nevertheless, we remain absolutely committed to reducing waiting times and a further £10m of funding has been given in 2023/24 to support this improvement.”
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