Cancer treatment waiting times in Ayrshire and Arran are "deeply worrying," says Labour MSP

dailyrecord.co.uk:

New figures show that just 75.7 per cent of patients in NHS Ayrshire & Arran were given their first cancer treatment within the Scottish Government’s own target of 62 days.The figures from Public Health Scotland cover the period between July to September 2022.They show that between the reporting period, there were 300 eligible referrals, 227 of which were given their first cancer treatment within the 62-day target.However, almost a quarter faced a longer wait - with one cancer patient facing a staggering 301-day wait before their first treatment.The Scottish Government’s 62-day standard states that 95 per cent of eligible patients should wait a maximum of 62 days from urgent suspicion of cancer referral to first cancer treatment.None of the health boards in the south of Scotland met the Scottish Government’s 62-day standard.NHS Borders came closest with 93 per cent; in NHS Dumfries and Galloway the figure was 83 per cent; 75.7 per cent in NHS Ayrshire & Arran; 74 per cent in NHS Lothian and 79.5 per cent in NHS Lanarkshire.South Scotland Labour List MSP, Colin Smyth, said the latest set of figures were “deeply worrying.”The Ayrshire Live app is available to download now.Get all the local news in your area – plus features, football news and the latest on the coronavirus crisis – at your fingertips 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories while you can customise your page with the sections that matter to you.The Ayrshire Live app is available to download now on iOS and Android.He said: “We know that any delay in diagnosing cancer can have a huge impact on the success of treatment.“The waiting time standard is there for a reason but none of our local health boards have been able to meet