Staff shortages in Scotland put 'cancer survival rates at risk'

The Scottish Parliament's Cross-Party Group on Cancer has claimed that progress on treating cancer has stalled in Scotland because of staff shortages and a lack of funding.

The new parliamentary report says that 18 per cent of cancer patients in June were not seen within the six-week target, and estimates that, as the Scottish population grows and the average age rises, 40,000 people will be diagnosed with some form of the disease every year by 2035, compared with 32,200 now.

BBC's Good Morning Scotland heard how a shortage of radiologists has meant patients had to wait longer to be diagnosed so they can begin their cancer treatment, with Scotland deemed within the report to be ‘going backwards’ in terms of the vacancy rates, and ‘going backwards in terms of the six-week treatment time’.

The Scottish government said its £100 million strategy would improve survival rates, but Cancer Research UK has labelled the report’s findings as ‘deeply concerning’.

Ministers have been urged to consider how to attract, train and retain domestic and international staff, how to stop early retirements in the sector and bring down locum fees.