Cancer chaos is putting lives at risk, Jackie Baillie MSP has warned as new statistics show referrals rising and key targets being missed.

In the quarter ending 30th June 2023, across the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde region, more than a third of patients had to wait longer than 62 days between urgent referral and treatment.

Not one NHS board met the 62-day standard, and it hasn’t been met nationally since 2012.

Shockingly, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde was one of three health board areas that missed the 31-day standard too which states that 95 percent of eligible patients should wait no longer than 31 days from decision to treat to first cancer treatment.

Jackie Baillie said: “Cancer services in Scotland are stuck in a state of constant chaos and lives are on the line as a result. The picture in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, which includes my constituents in Dumbarton, the Vale of Leven, Helensburgh and Lomond is below standard.

“As Health Secretary, Humza Yousaf let waiting times hit their worst point ever, and services still haven’t recovered from the damage he did.

“NHS staff are working tirelessly to get things back on track, but they are being badly failed by this negligent SNP government.

“Soaring referrals suggest we are now seeing the timebomb of undiagnosed cancer cases but there is a lack of urgency from SNP Health Ministers.

“Labour has set out proposals for a proper cancer catch-up plan to speed up diagnosis, get services back on track and finally meet these life-saving targets.”