Increased waiting times for cancer treatment have prompted a call for action from MSP Jackie Baillie.
Latest figures show that NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board failed to meet both the 31-day standard from date of decision to treat to first treatment and the 62-day target from urgent referral of suspicion of cancer to treatment.
Across Scotland, performance against the 62-day cancer waiting times target plummeted to the lowest point ever, with just 23.7% of patients not starting treatment within the target time.
Just over a quarter (26.1%) of patients suspected of having prostate cancer were treated within 62 days within the NHSGGC area.
The outlook for female cancers in the area is also bleak, with less than half of patients (47.6%) suspected of having ovarian cancer treated within the two-month target and just 60% of possible cervical cancer cases receiving treatment in the same timeframe.
This had fallen from 100%, the level it had been at from June 2021.
The Dumbarton constituency MSP praised dedicated NHS staff but added: “Sadly, I have had constituents come to me who have lost loved ones because their cancer was not picked up early enough despite clear warning signs.
“This is the very stark reality behind these figures which are nothing short of catastrophic, but the SNP government are nowhere to be seen.
“The SNP have ignored warning after warning as services fell into chaos, leaving us with a ticking timebomb of untreated cancer that will cost lives and overwhelm our NHS, with figures within local health services among the worst in the country.
“The government cannot waste any more time delivering a real cancer catch-up plan we have needed all along, so that everyone can get the treatment they need, when they need it.”
A spokesperson for the health board said: “As is the case across the country, services in NHSGGC continue to face significant challenges as we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This has meant that waiting times for some services have increased.
“We apologise that some patients are experiencing extended waiting times and are working hard to increase our capacity, we have plans in place to support improvement across challenged areas.
“We also continue to prioritise emergency, urgent and cancer patients.
“Where patients are referred with an urgent suspicion of cancer, we make every effort to ensure the patent pathway is as efficient as possible, with overall statistics showing the majority of patients consistently receiving their first appointment within the waiting time target of two weeks.
“However, we accept our most recent performance indicators do not meet the cancer waiting times targets, as such we are working hard to increase capacity, reduce waiting times and support our patients.”
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