Latest news with #AlexCole-Hamilton
Daily Record
a day ago
- Health
- Daily Record
Scots waiting up to a year for cancer treatment as patients 'not given best chance' by SNP Government
One patient living in the NHS Lothian health board area waited 393 days before beginning treatment in the first quarter of this year. Scots suffering from cancer are being made to wait up to a year before starting treatment, shock figures show. Analysis by the Scottish Liberal Democrats found that one patient living in the NHS Lothian health board area waited 393 days before beginning treatmen t in the first quarter of this year. Patients in Grampian, the Borders, and Dumfries and Galloway all waited 11 months for treatment in the same period. It comes after the SNP Government committed to spending a record £21 billion on the NHS in Scotland over the next year to try and reduce waiting times for patients. Alex Cole-Hamilton, the Lib Dems leader, warned that between March 2015 and March 2025 the longest wait in NHS Borders more than quadrupled, increasing from 76 days to 343 days. At the same time the longest wait in NHS Dumfries & Galloway more than trebled, from 99 days to 347 days. And since March 2015, the longest waits in NHS Ayrshire & Arran, NHS Orkney and NHS Shetland have more than doubled. It comes after official figures published last month found the percentage of Scottish cancer patients receiving treatment within the target time is the lowest since records began. Data released by Public Health Scotland found almost a third of patients referred to the NHS in Scotland with an urgent suspicion of cancer are waiting longer than the 62-day target to start treatment. The rate fell to 68.9 per cent in the first three months of 2025 - the lowest reported since records began a decade ago. A target that 95 per cent of patients should start treatment within 31 days of diagnosis has also not been met. The 62-day standard is based on the time from urgent suspicion of cancer referral to first cancer treatment, while the 31-day standard measures the time from a decision to treat to the start of first treatment for newly-diagnosed primary cancers. Cole-Hamilton said: "All across Scotland, the SNP government isn't giving cancer patients the best chance of survival. These statistics show huge increases in waiting times to begin treatment after an urgent referral with suspicion of cancer, stretching up to a year. "International studies show Scotland falling behind. The fact that SNP ministers are now admitting that their failures may have caused people to die shows just how badly they have got this wrong. 'Access to screening programmes, diagnoses and treatment is a postcode lottery across the country. Scottish Liberal Democrats want to see ministers who will move mountains to bring down waits and get to grips with the gaps in tech and staff. 'Patients deserve better than an SNP government that keeps letting them down. Only the Scottish Liberal Democrats will bring a real vision and a real plan for delivering the care they need.' John Swinney said the NHS was treating a higher number of patients with cancer on time than six years ago but accepted the failure to meet the 62-day target was 'not acceptable'. Dr Iain Kennedy, chair of the BMA in Scotland said there was a split between people who could afford to go private and those forced to "languish" on NHS waiting lists. Neil Gray, the Health Secretary, said: "We know that some people are still waiting too long to begin their cancer treatment, and that is not acceptable. We are determined to improve waiting times and ensure everyone gets the timely care they deserve. "It's disappointing that the 31-day standard was narrowly missed this quarter. However, performance has remained steady at around 95% since the pandemic. The median wait for treatment is three days, and the median wait from urgent suspicion of cancer referral to treatment is 52 days, demonstrating the extensive work by staff across Scotland to treat people as quickly and effectively as possible. "We are treating more patients with cancer on time, within both standards, compared to the same quarter 6 years ago – 7.7% more within the 31-day standard & 0.1% more within the 62-day standard. "We have directed £14.23 million of the £106 million in additional planned care funding for 2025/26 to Cancer Waiting Times, with a focus on colorectal, urological and breast as our most challenged pathways."
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Health
- Scotsman
NHS: Thousands of Scots going private for eye surgery as waiting lists soar to over three years
Thousands are forking out £2,500 for private cataract surgery. Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Thousands of Scots are being forced to go private due to waits of more than three years for NHS cataract surgery. In 2024, around 8,500 people in Scotland went private for this treatment, which replaces a cloudy lens in the eye with an artificial lens, and costs approximately £2,500. This is double the number going private in 2019. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Around 19,000 Scots are currently stuck on an NHS waiting list for cataract surgery. Waiting lists for cataract surgery are soaring. New figures obtained by the Scottish Lib Dems also show one patient at NHS Grampian waited 1,253 days for this surgery - almost three and a half years. Other long waits included 869 days at NHS Shetland, 824 days at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 680 days at NHS Ayrshire and Arran, 644 days at NHS Borders, 548 days at NHS Fife, 532 days at NHS Lanarkshire, and 508 days at NHS Highland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The average expected waiting time at NHS Shetland for this surgery is 323 days, and in NHS Ayrshire and Arran it is 272 days - but one in 10 patients have been told to expect to wait 432 days. The longest waiting list is at NHS Ayrshire and Arran, where 3,207 patients have been referred and are now waiting for treatment. The second longest list is NHS Fife with 2,440 patients. Leader of the Scottish Lib Dems Alex Cole-Hamilton said: 'I can only imagine the panic and distress that these waits are causing for patients. 'I know that NHS staff are working hard to get waiting lists down but they are not getting the support they need from bosses and ministers. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'With waits stretching into the months and years, it's clear that the SNP have no plan for tackling long waits for complex specialities. 'Ministers need to ensure that cataract surgery waits come down and people can get the care they need swiftly and close to home. Alex Cole-Hamilton speaking at Liberal Democrat conference 'I know from working closely with campaigners pressing for a replacement for the Edinburgh Eye Pavilion that staff can work more efficiently and effectively if they have the right facilities available. 'That's why it was so important to me to secure progress towards a new eye pavilion in our recent budget negotiations. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The SNP have repeatedly demonstrated that the NHS will never be their priority. 'My party has a track record of exposing scandalous long waits and delivering investment. 'That's why no matter where you live, anyone who is sick of long waits for healthcare should back the Scottish Liberal Democrats on their peach regional ballot at next year's election.'
Daily Record
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
Scottish Water's sewage sites breached licences more than 250 times in three years
Scottish Water has breached its licences at sewage sites more than 250 times in three years. Probes by eco watchdog SEPA since 2022 found over a third of its sewage assets failed to comply with regulations. It follows mounting concern at human waste dumped in waterways via "overflow" pipes in the sewer network. These are only meant to be used in extreme rainfall - but shockingly, sewage spilled into the environment over 24,000 times in Scotland last year. Private firms in England have seen fines but Scotland's publicly-owned water firm hasn't faced similar sanctions. One "major non-compliant" site flagged in data obtained by the Scottish Lib Dems was Helensburgh sewage works in Argyll. With faulty tech giving false readings, inspectors found sewage dumped hundreds of times even on dry days, in breach of its licence. So-called "dry spills" - which may be illegal - are much more toxic to the environment and wildlife with discharges not diluted by rain. Lib Dem chief Alex Cole-Hamilton said: "These figures show that in the last three years alone, a third of SEPA investigations have caught Scottish Water breaking their licence conditions. "One inspection in Helensburgh found faulty equipment and examples of environmentally-damaging dry weather sewage dumping. "The Scottish Government needs to start finally taking the sewage crisis seriously and get tough on the government-owned water company. "Earlier this month, Thames Water got fined £100 million for sewage dumping, but there are never any consequences here in Scotland. 'Perhaps that is because ministers know that it is actually their government that's at fault for this problem.' Last year alone, the Helensburgh plant spilled waste 1722 times. The Lib Dems said the worst English site was Salcombe Regis in Devon with 366 spills. South West Water in England, which manages Devon's sewer network, currently faces four criminal investigations into sewage pollution and was last year ordered to repay £17million to customers for poor performance. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. It comes after SNP ministers finally confirmed last week they'll rewrite guidance on sewage dumping following pressure from campaigners who had warned 'outdated' rules were hindering efforts to crack down on the practice. A Scottish Water spokesman said: "Not all the non-compliances being identified through SEPA inspection result in environmental harm. 'We use the results from inspection to focus attention on where we can make improvements at our assets. We take our environmental responsibilities very seriously. 'All of the discharges from Helensburgh Waste Water Treatment Works have had primary or secondary treatment and water quality modelling shows that these do not adversely impact the water environment.' David Cooper, senior manager for water and land at SEPA, said: 'Environmental water quality in Scotland is currently at its highest level ever… we will continue to safeguard and improve Scotland's water environment by requiring targeted action to ensure all sites are compliant.'
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Scotsman
28-06-2025
- Climate
- Scotsman
Sewage spills could spoil summer trips to Edinburgh's Cramond beauty spot, claims MSP
Sewage overspills could spoil summer trips to one of Edinburgh's most popular beauty spots, an MSP has claimed. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Two sewage overflow sites in Cramond are among 12 across Scotland deemed at risk of spilling during dry weather, according to Environmental Standards Scotland (ESS) in an answer to Scottish Lib Dem leader and Edinburgh Western MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton. Sewage spills in dry weather are said to be of particular concern because the lack of rainfall means there is nothing to dilute it and it just accumulates. A map showing the location of the two sites in Cramond where sewage spills are a risk | supplied Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad An ESS report said 12 sites had been identified where there was a risk of dry spills and Mr Cole-Hamilton asked for the locations. These included the combined sewer overflow at Cramond wastewater pumping station and another combined sewer overflow at Glebe Road, Cramond. The other 10 sites were in East Ayrshire, Falkirk and Fife. Mr Cole-Hamilton said: "I am very concerned to see that within my own constituency of Cramond there are two sites at risk of dumping sewage in dry weather. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad "Cramond is a hugely popular beauty spot, but sewage dumping makes it so much harder for people to come and enjoy the area. "Dry spilling is especially dangerous to the environment because sewage discharges will not have been diluted by rainwater. To make matters worse, Environmental Standards Scotland say this figure is actually an underestimate. "The government must urgently assess the scale of the problem- the public deserve to know the full picture about this disgusting practice." Scottish Lib Dems have called for every sewage spill to be monitored and published with binding targets for their reduction; a complete ban on the release of sewage in protected areas such as bathing waters; and a blue flag system for Scotland's rivers. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Cole-Hamilton said: "The SNP keep turning a blind eye to the sewage problem, letting down residents and endangering the environment. "To turn the tide on this scandal, Scottish Liberal Democrats have published plans for a Clean Water Act that would end the excuses, get tough on sewage dumping and protect our rivers, lochs and beaches long into the future." Scottish Water insisted it did not "dump" sewage and said whatever was discharged was only one per cent waste water from toilets and largely water from sinks, showers, household appliances and run-off from roads. A spokesperson said: 'Overflows normally only operate during heavy rainfall to help prevent flooding to homes and business and, if there is no heavy rainfall, discharges are unlikely. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Data from our monitors helps us identify more quickly if an asset is overflowing in dry weather, allowing us to respond and repair quicker. 'Work is already underway on overflows identified as 'High Priority' from our studies, which include those at risk of overflowing in dry weather. The assets near Cramond are included in this work, which are part of our £500m investment, along with others like the work we have just started at Corstorphine Road for the Water of Leith.' The £3m project in Corstorphine, due to last about six months, involves installing new screens and spill chambers to a storm overflow under Corstorphine Road to help prevent sewer related debris from entering the Water of Leith. The spokesperson added: 'We are monitoring more overflows than ever before, providing more information on overflows than ever before and investing more than ever before in our waste water network. 'Scotland's water quality is at its highest level ever and we remain committed to targeting resources and investment to preserve and protect Scotland's water environment.'
Daily Record
24-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Cancer waiting times in Scotland at worst level on record as SNP NHS record attacked
Only 68.9 per cent of patients on an urgent referral for a suspicion of cancer started treatment within 62 days, Cancer waiting times are at the worst level on record, new figures have revealed. Only 68.9 per cent of patients on an urgent referral for a suspicion of cancer started treatment within 62 days, latest quarterly figures out today show. This was a drop from 73.5 in the previous three months and 83.7 per cent in the quarter ending 31 December 2019 - the last quarter before the covid pandemic. The Scottish Government target is for 95 per cent of patients to begin treatment in 62 days. Just one health board across Scotland hit the target - NHS Lanarkshire - while 13 others missed it. Scottish Labour Health spokesperson Jackie Baillie said: 'These disastrous figures lay bare the true cost of the SNP's mismanagement of our NHS. ' Cancer is Scotland's biggest killer and swift treatment can be the difference between life and death – but under the SNP patients are being abandoned and the founding principles of our NHS are under threat. 'A cancer time-bomb is looming – the SNP must act now to cut these dangerously long waits and deliver the urgent, life-saving care Scottish cancer patients need. 'The truth is our NHS cannot afford a third decade of SNP government – we need a new direction.' Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: ' Cancer patients cannot depend on this SNP government. ' Waiting times have spiralled to the worst on record and the target has never been met since the SNP introduced it almost fifteen years ago. Scotland now has the worst shortage of oncologists of any UK nation. 'It is appalling that people are enduring these lengthy waits when early intervention is crucial to survival in cancer cases. 'Access to screening programmes, diagnosis and treatment is a postcode lottery across the country. We need serious investment in both diagnostics and staff, and an end to patchwork care. 'Staff and patients are being continually failed by a government that never matches its words with action.'
