Edinburgh MSP heralds progress on cancer waiting times

Gordon Macdonald MSP has welcomed the launch of a new £30 Million programme by The Scottish Government that is set to improve cancer survival rates by increasing the proportion of Scots who are diagnosed in the earliest stages of the disease.

Gordon stated “The SNP is working hard to improve cancer survival which is why we launched our £30 million Detect Cancer Early programme. This fund aims to diagnose cancers earlier and treat patients when less aggressive treatment is required. Thousands of Scots are affected by cancer and that is why the SNP Government has taken steps to ensure that patients are seen by doctors and specialists as quickly as possible.”

This new two year campaign will focus on the three most common cancers in Scotland – breast, lung and bowel cancer. NHS Scotland, healthcare professionals and Scottish charities are working together to promote the importance of early detection of cancer. By acting quickly on the first signs and symptoms of cancer you can increase your chances of surviving the disease.

The latest NHS Lothian statistics, covering October – December 2011, show that 98.5% of Lothian patients suspected to have cancer started treatment within the target time of 62 days.

To find out more about cancer and the signs and symptoms, contact NHS Inform by phoning 0800 22 44 88 or log on to www.nhsinform.co.uk.