Health Secretary should apologise as cancer spin exposed

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has today said that the Health Secretary should apologise to patients after it was revealed that a statistic used by the SNP government to spin cancer waiting times is itself worse than at any point on record.

On 24 June, official statistics showed just 68.9% of cancer patients are being seen within the 62-day treatment standard – the worst performance against this target since records began.

In an attempt to defend this, the Health Secretary pointed to average waiting times, noting: “the median wait time from urgent suspicion of cancer referral to treatment is 52 days, demonstrating the extensive work by staff across Scotland to treat people are quickly and effectively as possible.”

Fresh analysis by the Scottish Liberal Democrats, however, shows that this median waiting time of 52 days is itself the worst on record.

Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

“The SNP are fast running out of excuses. The Health Secretary held up the median wait of 52 days for these cancer patients, as though that shows some kind of progress, when in fact it is nothing to celebrate because that too is the worst on record. It has been exposed as political spin. He ought to apologise to patients.

“Catching cancer early, then treating it fast, makes the world of difference to your chances of survival. However, it’s been two years since the Scottish Government published its latest cancer strategy promising ‘earlier treatment’, but patients are waiting longer.

“There isn’t a moment to lose when it comes to sorting out the critical gaps in screening, diagnosis and treatment, including tech and staff.

“If cancer comes for you, you deserve to be given the best chance of survival, and under this SNP Government that’s just not happening. Only the Scottish Liberal Democrats will bring a real vision and a real plan for delivering the care they need.”