SNP miss cancer target for 14-years running

Responding to the news that a key cancer target has been missed in every health board in Scotland, with just 70.4% of people starting their treatment within the 62-day target during the first three months of 2024, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex-Cole Hamilton said:

"Every day counts in a battle against cancer. Early cancer treatment is crucial to your chances of survival, but the SNP Government hasn't hit this key target for fourteen years. People are being tragically let down and left waiting far too long.

"We are now a year on from the publication of their Cancer Strategy so SNP ministers must explain why the situation is getting worse and worse.

"Liberal Democrats would boost cancer survival rates by backing research into the cancers with the lowest survival rates and halving the time for new treatments to reach patients.

"We are determined to pull out all the stops to cut waiting times and give NHS staff and patients a fair deal."