CANCER WAIT NIGHTMARE

Scotland trails other rich nations in new global study. Average of 65 days until chemo, just 39 in Norway. Crucial time lost in fight to save lives of patients

- VIVIENNE AITKEN

SCOTS cancer patients waited longer than anywhere else in the UK for treatment, shock figures have revealed.

A major international study by Cancer Research UK shows Scotland is lagging behind other countries in tackling the killer disease.

Scots faced the longest waiting times to start treatment in the UK, with an average of 65 days between diagnosis and chemotherapy, compared with 48 days in England, 57 in Northern Ireland - which had no functioning government until this month and 58 days in Wales.

Cancer Research UK says the findings from the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership (ICBP) may help explain why cancer survival in Scotland is poorer than other countries.

Labour's health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie called on the Scottish Government to get a grip of the crisis.

She said: "Waiting lists continue to soar under the SNP, with one in six Scots stuck on waiting lists, but we know cancer is one of Scotland's biggest killers and there are consequences for people having to wait. Early detection leads to better outcomes." Baillie called for "an urgent review" of why there appeared to be fewer treatments in Scotland than the rest of the UK and demanded to know if this was leading to poorer outcomes.

Cancer Research UK's public affairs manager for Scotland, Dr Sorcha Hume, said: "Scotland should be striving for world-leading cancer care. We believe that a great deal can be learnt from other countries who have stepped up and substantially improved cancer services in recent years.

"The Scottish Government's new cancer strategy promises to improve cancer survival and provide excellent, equitably accessible care for all cancer patients in Scotland so it's crucial the Scottish Government delivers on its promises.