Cancer waiting times worst on record

Responding to new figures that show in the first quarter of 2025 only 68.9% of cancer patients were seen within the 62-day standard treatment time, the worst since records began, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

“Cancer patients cannot depend on this SNP government.

“Waiting times have spiralled to the worst on record and the target has never been met since the SNP introduced it almost fifteen years ago. Scotland now has the worst shortage of oncologists of any UK nation.

“It is appalling that people are enduring these lengthy waits when early intervention is crucial to survival in cancer cases.

“Access to screening programmes, diagnosis and treatment is a postcode lottery across the country. We need serious investment in both diagnostics and staff, and an end to patchwork care.

“Staff and patients are being continually failed by a government that never matches its words with action.”